Egyptian ambassador tells Speaker Berri: Dialogue between Quintet, Lebanese parties will lead to progress on presidential issue

The Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, briefed Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on the latest developments regarding the negotiations on Gaza.

Moussa said, "What is happening in Gaza affects all of us, especially the situation in southern Lebanon, and this topic was a major focus of the discussions."

Moussa noted, "We had an in-depth discussion about the presidential issue, focusing on the ideas Berri previously put forward and recently expanded upon last week."

He added, "We discussed breaking the current deadlock, and I believe there is a shared understanding of the urgency. Everyone agrees that electing a president is crucial, and action is needed sooner rather than later to move this issue forward."

Moussa said Berri emphasized his commitment to separating the Gaza developments from the presidential process.

He explained that if this separation is maintained, it could help unlock progress on the presidential issue.

"We also discussed the efforts of the Quintet Committee and our upcoming meetings, along with our hopes for the outcome. I assured Speaker Berri that we will stay in close contact regarding the Quintet's actions. Dialogue between the Quintet and Lebanese parties is key to achieving progress on this issue," Moussa said.

Moussa expressed hope that there would be a breakthrough in Gaza in the coming days, positively impacting the situation in southern Lebanon.

He emphasized ongoing efforts by Lebanon and its allies to take all necessary measures to prevent the conflict from escalating further.

In response to a question about the upcoming Quintet meetings, the Egyptian ambassador said, "We'll be meeting soon, now that the focus has shifted back to the presidential issue. Previously, our main concern was calming the situation in southern Lebanon."

He added, "The ambassadors were out of the country, but now that they've returned, we'll convene to evaluate recent developments and explore future actions. We won't discuss any specific ideas until we've had the chance to consult with the other Quintet members."