During a meeting in Maarab with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea on Thursday , Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea reportedly urged the US to commit to empowering Lebanon’s democratic and reform movements stressing that Washington’s tepid approach to regional efforts to normalize the Assad regime is de facto normalization.
Geagea said that Suleiman Franjieh’s odds of winning the presidential race have greatly diminished despite the strong support he is getting from Hezbollah , its allies and France stressing that the Marada Movement’s chief represents the return of the Assad regime’s hegemony over Lebanon.
He also stressed that the US must not underestimate the credibility deficit left by the French president’s failed legacy toward Lebanon and that Washington must take the reins from Paris, whose leadership on Lebanon has ultimately failed the Lebanese and undermined France’s own principles.
Macron
During a visit to Beirut in August 2020 , following the Beirut port blast , President Emanuel Macron delivered a stark message to Lebanon’s leaders: “deliver on reforms by the end of October or face sanctions”, a deadline he then extended when it was deliberately missed, only to cave in to the demands of Hezbollah and the political mafia class.
France is reportedly backing Hezbollah’s candidate primarily because the Iran backed party promised to provide the security needed for the French oil company Total Energies during its offshore exploration for oil and gas near the borders with Israel .
Total announced last week that it is ready to start drilling in block 9
“As per the announced schedule, TotalEnergies in agreement with its partners ENI and QatarEnergy has signed a firm contract with Transocean to hire the drilling rig that will drill an exploration well on Block 9 offshore Lebanon, as soon as possible in 2023.”
Parliament meeting
Geagea called for an urgent parliament meeting to elect a president :
“The time has come to show the needed courage and call on parliament to convene and carry out its constitutional missions, topped by the election of a president, as soon as possible,” Geagea told Shea.
“The initiative today is in the hands of the Lebanese themselves, who should secure the election of a figure who not only enjoys integrity and honesty, but also the sufficient courage to manage the country amid this critical and serious situation,” Geagea said .
“Lebanon will either come out of this crisis a functioning democracy or an authoritarian failed state.” He concluded .
According to analysts , the unity of the opposition is crucial if Lebanon aspires to come out of this crisis as a functioning democracy.
Only time will tell if the opposition can finally be able to agree on a candidate that will be able to face the challenges
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