Chamber President Nabih Berri (center) surrounded by ambassadors accredited to Beirut from quintet member countries Monday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Aïn al-Tineh)
BEIRUT — Ambassadors Lisa Johnson, Herve Magro, Walid Boukhari, Alaa Moussa and Saoud ben Abdel Rahman al-Thani of the group of five nations (United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar) continued their tour of Lebanese political leaders on Tuesday, as planned, with a view to breaking the deadlock in the Lebanese presidential election, which has been vacant for almost a year and a half.
In the morning, the five diplomats visited former president Michel Aoun, founder of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), in Rabieh (Metn), where they listened to Aoun's advice and discussed the quintet's vision, Moussa explained, upon leaving Aoun's home. The meeting was aimed at getting the country one step closer to electing a head of state — the group hopes to "achieve a breakthrough in this field," but has yet to do so.
On Monday, the group of ambassadors met with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai. In his homily on Tuesday, delivered at a mass at Aintoura College to mark the feast of Saint Joseph, the Patriarch said that the quintet had "informed him of their activities, aspirations and work plan," and that he had called on them to "work seriously for the salvation of Lebanon."
"I explained to the ambassadors that the path to a solution is laid out in the [Lebanese] Constitution, and that agreeing on a person ... is contrary to the Constitution, to democracy and to logic, especially given the atmosphere of division prevailing in the country," the Archbishop said during the mass.
"The solution is to go to Parliament and elect the President in accordance with Article 95 of the Constitution, from among the people whose names are proposed — or others — all worthy of consideration, during successive sessions," he insisted.
Geagea attacks Berri
The ambassadors then met Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Meerab. Geagea praised their efforts to break the deadlock in the presidential elections. "We are not prepared to violate or override the Constitution to elect a president affiliated to Hezbollah," he said.
The state-run National News Agency cited Geagea as claiming Hezbollah wants a "tailor-made presidential election," and accused it of continuing to block any other route. He also took a dig at Berri, calling him Hezbollah's "baby-sitter."
The diplomats were received in the early evening by Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and his son Taymour, who heads the Progressive Socialist Party.
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.