US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland meets caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, in New York, on Sept.18, 2023. (Credit: Twitter/@grandserail)
The United States "supports any Lebanese-Lebanese dialogue" that could lead to the election of Lebanon's next president, American Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati at a meeting in New York on Monday, according to Mikati's press office.
Mikati is currently in New York to represent Lebanon at the 78th annual session of the United Nations General Assembly.
During her meeting with Mikati, Nuland called on Lebanese officials "to accelerate the election of a new president" and stressed that Washington supports any internal dialogue in this regard.
Her comments come after Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri pledged to hold open election sessions in Parliament on condition that they were preceded by an extended dialogue involving the heads of parliamentary groups in the hemicycle for seven days to reach a consensus on a candidate.
In an interview published Monday in Liwa', Berri set out the details of this dialogue, which he promised to convene "at the beginning of October, barring any surprises."
Until now, the opposition camp has categorically rejected this call for dialogue that Berri launched a few weeks after Washington mentioned possible sanctions against any Lebanese official who blocks the presidential election.
Also involved in a mediation effort to put an end to the nearly one-year vacancy is French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian, who is working on behalf of the Group of Five (France, United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt) for "discussions" between the political forces. His hope is that these discussions will identify a third candidate, other than Sleiman Frangieh, supported by Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, and Jihad Azour, supported by the opposition camp and the Free Patriotic Movement.
Also partaking in the discussion between Mikati and Nuland in New York was caretaker Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib and US Assistant Deputy Secretary of State Ethan Goldrich.
According to a tweet from the Grand Serail, the Lebanese delegation currently in New York also includes the Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations, Jeanne Mrad.
Mikati will deliver Lebanon's address to the Assembly on Monday and hold a series of meetings with the heads of the participating delegations. He is also to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at UN headquarters.