French Foreign Minister Visits Beirut to Advance Diplomatic Efforts

A report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné has arrived in Beirut for the second time this year to continue French efforts, which are running parallel to US endeavors, aimed at calming tensions along the Lebanese border with Israel.

The French initiative, introduced last February, aims to establish a diplomatic pathway to prevent any escalation towards a broader war between Lebanon and Israel. Discussions in Paris are currently adjusting the contents of the initiative to align with recent developments before it is delivered to Lebanon soon.

Before its delivery, Lebanon will be briefed on the details of the initiative through meetings with Séjourné in Beirut, which will include the Speaker of Parliament, the Caretaker Prime Minister, the Caretaker Foreign Minister, and the Army Commander. This visit follows the meeting between Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris last week at the Élysée Palace.

The French initiative may reach Lebanon in the coming phase through envoys rather than directly through the French Foreign Minister. It includes three stages to de-escalate tensions on the southern front:

In the first stage, there will be a cessation of military operations by both sides, in exchange for a halt to Israeli air violations of Lebanese sovereignty.

 

The second stage involves the formation of a monitoring committee to ensure the implementation of Resolution 1701, which may include France, the United States, Israel, and Lebanon.

 

This stage also entails the withdrawal of what the initiative terms "armed groups," notably Hezbollah, 10 kilometers from the border, and the deployment of the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL along this border.

 

The third stage aims to address disputes between the two countries regarding disputed geographical points.

 

While Séjourné's next stop after Beirut will not be Tel Aviv but Riyadh, the French Foreign Minister's plane will return him to Israel at the conclusion of his Middle East tour, with the focus being on the border with Lebanon.