Saudi Ambassador's role in Quintet's return and path to Lebanese Presidential elections

Al-Liwaa has learned from informed sources that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will take the initiative to revive the Quintet to act on the Lebanese presidential file. 

This article was originally published in and translated from the Lebanese newspaper al-Liwaa.

This comes after a period of stagnation mixed with the repercussions of the Israeli war on Gaza, along with the Christmas and New Year holidays, and the preoccupation of Arab and international decision capitals with urgent regional issues.

It is expected that the Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Bukhari, will play an active role in this regard after his return from abroad, and with the arrival of the new American ambassador to Beirut, Lisa Johnson, who will hold her first meeting with Bukhari during this week.

Sources said the first phase of the Quintet's return to activity will be at the level of ambassadors in Lebanon. 

A meeting is expected to be held in the presence of the French diplomat Jean-Yves Le Drian, who will present the results of his four rounds to Beirut and outline the broad lines for the next phase based on his meetings with official references and political figures.

Informed sources confirmed that there is an agreement among the Quintet parties not to interfere in presidential nominations, not to delve into favoritism or the naming of a specific candidate, or to veto anyone.

Instead, they will confirm the specifications that the future president must possess, as outlined in the tripartite Saudi-American-French statement issued in New York during the previous United Nations session in 2022 and adopted by the Quintet in its subsequent meetings in Paris and Doha.

The most important specifications include having an economic vision to overcome the current crisis, possessing a good reputation, not being involved in corrupt practices, and being impartial towards various political parties. 

Additionally, the president should not constitute his arrival in Baabda as a victory for one team and a defeat for another, and he should be able to cooperate with the government and parliament to expedite reform steps and exit the crisis vortex, taking the path of rescue.

These circles considered that international and regional understandings represent an opportunity for the Lebanese to seize to pass the presidential deadline, away from the atmosphere of challenges and disputes that prevailed in previous stages.

This requires everyone to abandon the policy of defiance and reprisals, descend from the tree of selfish and sectarian demands, and return to realism. 

They must prioritize the interests of the country and the requirements of rescue above all other considerations and start a wide-ranging consultation process to pave the way for a national consensus to accomplish the presidential elections.