Qatar returns to nominate Lebanon's army chief for presidency: report

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2023-05-06 | 00:50
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Qatar returns to nominate Lebanon's army chief for presidency: report
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Qatar returns to nominate Lebanon's army chief for presidency: report

The "climate" related to the presidential file did not carry anything qualitatively new, pending the supposed meeting between the Saudi ambassador in Beirut, Walid al-Bukhari, and the head of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, given that what Jumblatt issues would give a clear indication of the presidential path.  

This article was originally published in, translated from the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar.   

Jumblatt, along with independent deputies, especially from the Sunnis, had informed Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and others that their final position on the nomination of the head of the Marada Movement, Suleiman Frangieh, would be influenced by the Saudi position. 

Meanwhile, Qatar implicitly returned to putting forward the candidacy of the Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, as the Qatari official, Jassim Al Thani, continues his visits to the political leaders in Lebanon.  

While he is keen to assure those he meets that Doha's position is identical to that of Riyadh and that his country does not have an initiative that bypasses Saudi Arabia or operates separately from it, however, contrary to what is rumored, he still calls on most opponents of Frangieh's candidacy to support the nomination of the army commander for the presidency. 

With regard to the Saudi position, Al-Akhbar learned that Al-Bukhari, who held public meetings, and others, away from the limelight in the past two days, made it clear that what has changed in his country's position is limited to re-establishing the equation that existed in 2016 in terms of that Riyadh does not nominate anyone, and at the same time it does not put a veto on anyone and does not mind the arrival of those whom the Lebanese agree on.  

And his visitors conveyed that Riyadh does not feel compelled to be in the position of interfering or partnering in any future settlement or imposing a destination in the presidential elections, and therefore it will not be interested in fighting a battle with Frangieh or others, nor will it be behind any attempt to disrupt his election. 

In this context, a pressing American position has emerged, urging the presidential elections to be held. The US ambassador to Beirut, Dorothy Shea, was quoted as urging Berri to expedite the consultations and to call the council to hold open sessions for the election.  

According to the sources, "The speaker of the council explained to the American ambassador that calling for new sessions is contingent on the presence of a serious candidate from the other side, and the moment a candidate emerges giving an indication of his seriousness in terms of the presence of a significant bloc behind him, he will call for holding open sessions until the election of a president." 

In the context, Berri was keen to inform Frangieh that his position does not mean that he calls for a new discussion about the name of the most likely candidate, assuring him of his adherence to his candidacy and that what is important now is to work to prevent disrupting the quorum of the sessions and to continue dialogue with the hesitant blocs to mobilize votes in Frangieh's interest.  

Berri was also clear that Saudi Arabia's position is positive regarding dropping the undeclared veto, but more French-Saudi consultations must be waited to persuade Riyadh to support the settlement.  

In this context, the sources said, "Paris informed Frangieh and others of this atmosphere and that there is positive progress in the Saudi position, but things still need time." 

In the context, it was learned that the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi is preparing for a new round of consultations with the Christian forces, and it has become clear to him that there is no room for drawing up an open list of names of candidates, so he is trying to persuade the Lebanese Forces, the Free Patriotic Movement and the independents to agree on a name that does not provoke the other party.  

However, Al-Rahi's efforts have so far clashed with the position of the Lebanese forces that insist on nominating a figure "capable of confronting Hezbollah" and referencing the Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun. 

While the Free Patriotic Movement refuses to nominate the army commander and also refuses to nominate any figure that Hezbollah does not accept.
 

Lebanon News

Press Highlights

Lebanon

Presidency

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

General Joseph Aoun

Suleiman Frangieh

US

France

Politics

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