Speaker Nabih Berri’s optimism stems from the progress of the dialogue between “Hezbollah” and FPM leader Gebran Bassil, who reportedly retracted his position over the refusal to back the presidential nomination of Suleiman Franjieh in exchange for guarantees, Lebanese media reported on Saturday.
Political sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the dialogue between Hezbollah and the head of the Free Patriotic Movement has begun to make tangible progress, and this is what prompted Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to repeat what he said after his meeting for the second time with the special representative of the French president, former Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian that a breakthrough was reached in Lebanon’s presidential crisis
Asharq Al-Awsat sources explained, “Berri’s optimism is not due to the atmosphere that prevailed in the meetings that Le Drian held with the heads of representatives of the parliamentary blocs, which came within the framework of preparing for the working meeting next September, as much as the results of the positive the of dialogue between” Hezbollah “and Bassil.”
The political sources pointed out that “Hezbollah’s leadership” is keen, in light of the resumption of dialogue with Bassil, to place its allies Berri and the head of the “Marada” movement, Suleiman Franjieh, in an atmosphere of progress that the dialogue began to record, and this explains the cessation of the exchange of political and media campaigns between them and Basil. , who is entrenched in his going to the dialogue under the pretext that there is a need to float the understanding paper concluded with the party, with a political safety net provided to him by the former President of the Republic, Michel Aoun.
And she ruled out that “Bassil, in his resumption of the intensification of the dialogue with Hezbollah, aims to waste time, especially since his mere openness to Hezbollah means that he is ready to turn the page on his intersection with the opposition to support the candidacy of former minister Jihad Azour for the presidency.
Asharq Al Awsat sources also affirmed that “Bassil’s re-opening to Hezbollah” is not opposed within his parilamentary bloc and the “Free Patriotic Movement,” stressing that “the credit goes to former president Michell Aoun, who succeeded in dismantling the objections that Basil held in the past.
Basil retracts Franjieh’s refusal in exchange for guarantees
In a related context, a source in “Hezbollah” stressed to “Al-Diyar” newspaper, that “Bassil’s words are encouraging and a stimulating start for dialogue, to reach an agreement between FPM and the Shiite duo about the President of the Republic”. “Al-Diyar” confirmed that Basil’s words indicate that he has reneged on his precondition rejecting Suleiman Franjieh’s candidacy in exchange for the guarantees he wants.
Political sources told Al-Diyar that “Basil found himself facing a difficult dilemma, which is that he is unable to advance with the opposition, and will not reach gains that satisfy him. On this basis, Bassil saw that there was no other possibility but to conclude a barter deal with “Hezbollah”.
The pro -Hezbollah daily Al-Akhbar revealed Bassil’s conditions
“The first point is aimed at agreeing on consolidating and activating partnership in governance among all Lebanese components, with the next president enjoying the approval and support of the FPM seeing as it is the main Christian representative.”
“The second point is agreeing on key headlines for the program of the upcoming president in connection with the priorities paper that the FPM had previously proposed, while agreeing on the topics that represent main concerns for Hezbollah”
LF rejects barter deals
An official of of the “Lebanese Forces” partytold Al Diyar, “we categorically reject the principle of barter in electing a president of the republic. Rather, what is required is to go to presidential elections within the mechanism stipulated in the constitution, in terms of successive sessions leading to the election of a president of the republic.”
The offiiial emphasized “What is required today is the election of a President of the Republic who will be the guarantor of a sovereign sate away from smuggling and corruption, in addition to the existence of an effective government, and the ability to implement broad decentralization in order to achieve balanced development among all Lebanese regions.”
Hezbollsh sticking with Franjieh
In a related development the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammed Raad said that “efforts are being exerted for an agreement among the Lebanese over a certain solution for finalizing the presidential juncture.”
“We hope these efforts will lead some to back down from their obstructive convictions that do not serve the country’s interest,” Raad added.
“We have not changed our stance (on nominating Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency) and we are ready to convince others of our stance for the sake of our country,” Raad went on to say.
Commenting on Bassil’s U-turn one analyst desribed Bassil as a political prostite and warned
Beware of political prostitutes who took corruption, nepotism and political mafia to record levels by selling our freedom and sovereignty to Iran’s Basij for peanuts. “
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