Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati spent three hours at the Élysée Palace, where he was received by French President Emmanuel Macron for an extended meeting that addressed Lebanese-French relations and the current situation in Lebanon and the region. The Prime Minister arrived at the Élysée Palace around 12:30 PM French time (1:30 PM Beirut time), where President Macron greeted him at the entrance, and they shook hands in front of cameras for commemorative photos.
Afterward, Macron and Mikati entered the palace, where they held a lengthy private discussion lasting about an hour. Following this, both President Macron and Mikati proceeded to an expanded working lunch attended on the Lebanese side by the Army Commander General Joseph Aoun and Mikati's diplomatic advisor, Ambassador Peter Assaker. The French delegation included the French Ambassador to Lebanon Hervé Magro, Chief of the French Armed Forces General Thierry Burkhard, French Presidential Advisor Emmanuel Bonne, French Presidential Middle East Advisor Anne-Claire Legendre, French Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian, and Ambassador Anne Grillo, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting, President Macron reiterated France's support for the Lebanese army in all areas and emphasized the importance of stability in Lebanon and keeping it away from the repercussions of current events in Gaza. He reaffirmed France's initiative for a solution in the south, which had been presented in February, with some adjustments reflecting the current realities and developments. The French side also reiterated the priority of electing a new president for the country and leveraging international support to achieve this, along with a unified stance from the Quintet of international players.
Moreover, the French side confirmed that France supports what the Lebanese agree upon and has no specific candidate in mind, indicating a consensus between the French and American approaches to proposed solutions.
The discussion also touched upon the issue of Syrian displaced people in Lebanon, with the French side promising assistance in resolving this problem at the European Union level.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mikati stated, "I expressed to President Macron Lebanon's gratitude for France's consistent support and assistance in all areas. I also thanked him for his ongoing efforts to halt the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and for supporting the army with equipment and expertise to enable it to carry out its full mission. We specifically addressed the issue of Syrian displaced people, and I explained to President Macron the risks faced by Lebanon due to the enormous number of refugees. I reiterated the call for the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in solving this dilemma, which will have repercussions for Europe in particular."
He added, "I wished for President Macron to address the European Union about declaring safe zones in Syria to facilitate the return of displaced individuals to their country and to support them internationally and in Europe, rather than in Lebanon. Regarding the presidential file, I reaffirmed that the entry point to solving Lebanon's crises is the election of a new president to complete the constitutional institutions and begin implementing necessary reforms."
The Prime Minister left the Élysée Palace at 3:30 PM French time.
