A source informed the Kuwaiti newspaper "Al-Anbaa" about a "new pivot point that the ambassadors of the Arab and international quintet are trying to produce convergence around. This revolves around resolving the two remaining points of contention: who calls for dialogue or consultation and who presides over this dialogue?" The new proposal that the ambassadors will promote during their upcoming visits to parliamentary and non-parliamentary forces suggests that they should initiate the call for dialogue, with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri later presiding over these discussions, such that each party presents a concession.
The source added that among the conclusions presented during the meeting in Ain al-Tineh between President Berri and the ambassadors of the quintet, the majority of political factions still seem inclined to delay presidential action, with efforts directed primarily at the Christian arena. This is hoped to lead to a consensus candidate acceptable to all Christian forces, which can then be presented to other factions. However, this remains challenging unless we see Vatican intervention in this direction.
The source explained that two trends were observed during the meeting in Ain al-Tineh. One trend insists that Lebanese factions should come together to agree on achieving the presidential entitlement through pure self-will, granting a limited timeframe for this, and if internaal factions fail to reach an agreement, the efforts made with the Lebanese should be concluded, placing the presidential file back on the international table, without any Lebanese role in it.
The other trend suggests acknowledging the connection between the war on Gaza and the presidency in Lebanon, implying that there will be no presidential elections before the U.S. presidential elections.
The source noted the apparent American engagement in proposing ideas within the quintet framework, emphasizing that the French role is not decisive but rather aiming to confirm that the final decision is primarily American. The U.S. viewpoint indicates that the root of the crisis lies in the lack of trust between Lebanese factions, and there is a necessity to rebuild a minimum level of this trust since it is evident that there is an inability to elect a president by a simple majority (65 votes). Any future president must be elected by a two-thirds majority or near consensus (86 votes or more) to effectively govern and initiate the process of restoring the functioning of constitutional institutions.
The source highlighted that a key aspect of the meeting in Ain al-Tineh was the consensus among the quintet ambassadors on President Berri's pivotal role in creating the conditions necessary for the election of a president, and that no one can bypass this crucial role. It also noted that those who refuse to engage in dialogue under his leadership overlook the reality that such dialogue provides an exit for all factions, facilitating their descent from rigid positions and widely opening the door for consensus to end the vacancy in the presidential position, according to "Al-Anbaa" Kuwaiti.
