Outgoing Lebanese Prime Minister Nagib Mikati receiving ambassadors from the quintet countries at the Grand Serail in Beirut, March 1, 2024. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine)
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with the ambassadors from the Group of Five countries involved in the Lebanese issue (France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the US and Egypt) at the Grand Serail as part of their talks with several officials over the past few days.
The quintet was represented by ambassadors Herve Magro (France), Walid Boukhari (Saudi Arabia), Saoud ben Abdel Rahman al-Thani (Qatar), Alaa Moussa (Egypt) and Liza Johnson (USA).
During the meeting, Mikati praised the five countries' efforts and encouraged them to continue working to push for the election of a new president.
According to Egyptian Ambassador Alaa Moussa, cited in a statement issued by the Grand Serail, the meeting was "positive and important." He noted that the quintet noticed in "the recent period" that the Lebanese political forces are "committed and willing" to elect a president.
However, he also said that the process "is not easy but rather complex" and is subject to "circumstances surrounding it."
"What is happening in Gaza should be a greater incentive for Lebanon to complete the process of electing a president," he added.
Last week, after a meeting of the group at the French Embassy, a diplomatic source told L'Orient-Le Jour that the quintet wanted to "establish a roadmap based on a unified vision and try to speed up the process before the start of Ramadan, scheduled for the first half of March."
"The challenges that the region will witness require Lebanon to have a president who speaks on its behalf, and this is extremely important," Moussa added.
Answering a question asked by a reporter, Moussa said that the "position of the quintet is the same, they speak the same language, and there are no differences between its members." Recently, information has circulated suggesting disagreements between the members, notably France and the United States.
"Next time, we will invite you to attend the deliberations of the quintet, so that you know the extent of harmony and coordination that exists among its members," he told reporters.
Finally, he said that "the quintet does not discuss names [for the presidency]; it is an original and exclusive right of Lebanon and the Lebanese political forces."
Today's meeting came at a time when the National Moderation parliamentary group — composed mainly of former members of the Future Movement — has launched an initiative, which has the support of the quintet. National Moderation proposes holding parliamentary consultations, which should lead to a call for open presidential electoral sessions.