French special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian and Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai, September, 14, 2023. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — French special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian met Thursday with Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai in Bkirki, on his third day of talks with Lebanese leaders to push for an end to a nearly one-year presidential vacuum, the state-run National News Agency reported.
According to the NNA, "Le Drian presented the outcomes of his discussions and meetings during his visit to Lebanon, and the Patriarch expressed his perspective on the methods to invigorate the presidential issue."
Rai declared that "the election of a President of the Republic remains the exclusive means to restore the functionality of constitutional institutions and return political life to a state of normalcy."
The Maronite Patriarch also met with US Ambassador Dorothy Shea, who affirmed that the US "will spare no effort to support Lebanon and help speed up the election of a President of the Republic, as maintaining the current situation will exacerbate problems at all levels."
Le Drian arrived in Beirut on Monday for his third mission from French President Emmanuel Macron to take part in the dialogue.
At the end of August, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called for renewed national dialogue between various political groups to reach a consensus on who to elect as Lebanon's next president.
Nearly one year ago, on Oct. 31 former president Michel Aoun ended his six-year term with no successor in place. Twelve parliamentary sessions to vote on a new head of state have all failed.
The French envoy met on Tuesday with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, where he expressed hope that Berri's initiative would "be a beginning of a solution" to the deadlock. Le Drian later met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri that same day. He then held talks with army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun.
While welcomed by Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Berri's dialogue initiative has faced criticism from the opposition. Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai, on the other hand, has indirectly encouraged MPs to participate in the dialogue.