The significant Iranian event did not overshadow the interest in the presidential file, even with the slow-moving efforts of the Arab-international quintet on one hand and the insistence of the National Moderation Bloc to continue what it started on the other. However, all indicators confirm that the presidential challenge remains in deep hibernation. Yet the Arab and international attention to Lebanon continues to seek solutions.
In this context, Prime Minister Najib Mikati received a phone call yesterday from Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, during which they discussed matters of mutual interest and reaffirmed priorities for achieving and sustaining security and stability in the region, according to official sources.
The "Al-Jumhuriya" learned from prominent political sources that French attempts are currently underway to arrange an urgent visit by French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian to Lebanon to stir stagnant waters and provide momentum to the increasingly wobbling mission of the quintet. These sources stated that the quintet's movement at the level of the five ambassadors has currently been suspended, and we will not witness meetings of all members, neither among themselves nor with blocs or figures in the near future, as their concluding statement served as a summary of their collective work. What is currently happening consists of individual meetings at the initiative of some of them in coordination and understanding with the members of the quintet, to prevent exacerbating clashes amongst them.
On this front, a delegation from the National Moderation Bloc visited the Egyptian ambassador in Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, yesterday. After the meeting, he stated, “The meeting today (yesterday) with the National Moderation Bloc addressed the latest developments in the presidential file, and we must avoid discussing who leads the dialogue and focus on the objective of the dialogue.”
Sources tracking the meeting informed "Al-Jumhuriya" that it included reviewing the available data among the quintet and the National Moderation Bloc to advance the presidential trajectory. The delegation clarified some points mentioned in the statement of the five ambassadors after their recent meeting at the US embassy, particularly regarding the statement's specified deadline of the end of May to complete the presidential requirement.
According to the information, Ambassador Moussa clarified that including this paragraph in the statement came at the request of one of the basic blocs, although he did not name it. Moussa elaborated on the tense regional atmosphere, pointing to a high likelihood of the war expanding in the region due to the Israeli Prime Minister's insistence on fulfilling his promises to repatriate refugees in Northern Palestine to their settlements near the Lebanese border.
Moussa revealed an upcoming US-French summit, during which Lebanon will be among the topics discussed, necessitating Lebanese political forces to expedite the completion of the presidential requirement, especially since the US administration will begin focusing on its presidential elections starting next June.
However, Ambassador Moussa noted the presence of “flexibility and adaptability” among some parliamentary blocs and urged the National Moderation Bloc to resume communications with these blocs to shake off the stagnation in the presidential file. Members of the bloc observed that the five ambassadors are conducting individual rounds with some friendly Lebanese forces to soften positions due to their influence over them. They concluded that the hope for positives still exists before the region enters a perilous phase of war expansion and the concerned countries shift their focus to their urgent matters.
After the meeting, the Egyptian ambassador in Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, remarked: “The meeting with the National Moderation Bloc addressed the latest developments in the presidential file, and we must distance ourselves from the discussion of who leads the dialogue and concentrate on the dialogue’s objectives. The meeting was significant as we evaluated the past phase, noting that the time frame is very important in our Arab world to exert pressure, and this pressure can be exploited positively to achieve several matters.” He confirmed that the quintet must work passionately to make any headway in the presidential file, pointing out that they agreed with the National Moderation Bloc to continue its movement in the upcoming period, benefiting from the quintet's latest statement and the positive responses received from the political forces.
