Presidential file: Qatar's special envoy discusses Lebanese presidential crisis in recent Beirut visit

Qatar's special envoy, Sheikh Jassim Al Thani, recently visited Beirut with a primary focus on a crucial file that has become the centerpiece of his diplomatic efforts.

Unlike previous visits, this time, the Qatari envoy strategically limited his meetings, engaging with MP Ali Hassan Khalil and representatives from Hezbollah, according to LBCI's sources.

 

While touching on the issue of the leadership of the Lebanese Armed Forces and its fate after the tenure of General Joseph Aoun, the key topic for the Qatari side is the Lebanese presidency.

LBCI sources suggest that Qatar aims to reinvigorate discussions around the Lebanese presidency, seeking a solution to end the vacuum through these diplomatic initiatives.

Despite not presenting any new presidential proposals, the Qatari envoy reiterated a specific candidate during his meetings, the Acting Director-General of the General Security, Brigadier General Elias al-Baysari, as Qatar's potential presidential candidate.

The envoy justified this choice based on the lack of opposition to Baysari's candidacy from most political factions, including key figures like Gebran Bassil, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), and the Amal-Hezbollah duo.

Qatar's envoy highlighted that the Amal-Hezbollah duo's continued support for the Marada movement head, Sleiman Frangieh, signifies their resistance to any potential breakthrough or solution in the presidential file.

This Qatari initiative aligns with French efforts, as Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French special envoy, is expected to visit Beirut next week. The purpose of his visit is to reevaluate the Lebanese file, with a particular focus on the presidential crisis, in an attempt to steer it toward a viable solution.