Disrupted diplomacy: Berri's negative role in Quintet Committee's mission

In previously undisclosed information, diplomatic sources revealed to "Nidaa Al-Watan" that President Nabih Berri played a negative role leading to the disruption of the work of the "Quintet Committee."

This article was originally published in and translated from the Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan.

These sources responded to inaccurate information circulated after the committee's recent meeting with Berri, including the misconception that the committee's previous decision was limited to Ain el-Tineh's visit.

To clarify, the sources mentioned that one of the goals of the committee's recent actions was to engage with all parties. If the meeting with Berri had succeeded, it would have served as a foundation for the approach the committee intended to present as a model in subsequent meetings.

However, in Ain el-Tineh, the committee was surprised by Berri's insistence on "dialogue" as a prerequisite for holding presidential elections, while it believed in the possibility of adopting bilateral consultation, as was the case in extending the terms of the security apparatus leaders.

The sources added that the committee later faced Berri's refusal to convene consecutive sessions for the presidential election due to his insistence on dialogue as a prerequisite for anything else.

This was in addition to his adherence to the supportive position for the head of the Marada Movement, Sleiman Frangieh, while the committee assumed acceptance of the idea of a third candidate.

Faced with these three obstacles, as the sources clarified, the "Quintet Committee" saw that it could not continue its work as long as a political team insisted on prior dialogue, opposing consecutive sessions, and rejecting the third candidate.

While relying on each team voting in its way, the committee decided not to complete its tour.