The special envoy of the French president, Jean-Yves Le Drian, is expected to arrive in Beirut this evening. (L'Orient-Le Jour archive photo)
The special envoy of the French president, Jean-Yves Le Drian, is expected in Beirut Monday night to meet with Lebanese officials on Tuesday, a source at the Grand Serail confirmed to L'Orient-Le Jour. This visit was announced for "after Eid al-Adha," by a delegation of French lawmakers, Tuesday.
The French ambassador, Hervé Magro, said that this visit would aim to "continue discussions with Lebanese officials on subjects of common interest, particularly reforms and reconstruction."
Illegal arms and resolution 1701
Commenting on this upcoming visit, the head of the Franco-Lebanese Friendship Committee, MP Simon Abi Ramia, stated that Le Drian would also discuss the issue of weapons in Lebanon, particularly those of Hezbollah and in Palestinian refugee camps, and the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701. The preparations for the donors' conference for reconstruction and support for the Lebanese Army, which Paris wants to organize, would also be discussed.
During a meeting Tuesday between the French parliamentary delegation, including the head of the France-Lebanon group at the French National Assembly, and President Joseph Aoun, the latter noted Lebanon's request to the international community, particularly France and the United States as guarantors of the cease-fire agreement, which took effect on Nov. 27, 2024, to "put pressure on Israel" to withdraw its army from the Lebanese territories it still occupies. Aoun also praised "the attention" that French President Emmanuel Macron pays to Lebanon and his "monitoring of the economic and security situation." The French parliamentary delegation said it came to Lebanon to show support for Salam government, particularly praising his work and the reforms he proposes.
Le Drian, a former French foreign minister, was appointed "personal envoy for Lebanon" by Macron on June 7, 2023, during a period of presidential vacancy. His tours in Beirut, as minister and then envoy, to Lebanese officials have been marked by harsh statements towards these officials, whom he accused in 2021 of "non-assistance to a country in danger," before warning, in October 2024, that Lebanon was "in danger of death."