Report: Le Drian didn't know Lebanese situation is 'that bad'
French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian has told his Lebanese “friends” that prior to his visit to Lebanon he had not imagined that “the situation would be this bad,” admitting that he “didn’t find any common ground among the political forces,” a media report said.
Al-Akhbar newspaper added that Le Drian asked Suleiman Franjieh’s allies during his meetings about “the way to secure Franjieh’s election as president.”
“This discussion took place specifically with Hezbollah’s delegation, whom Le Drian met with for around two hours, during which the delegation explained to its host all the reasons pushing Hezbollah to say that it wouldn’t give up Franjieh’s nomination,” the daily said.
Le Drian also asked Franjieh himself in their meeting at the Pine Residence about his viewpoint on agreeing on a “third” candidate and whether he was confident in the ability of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement to continue backing him until the end, the newspaper added.
Moreover, al-Akhbar quoted Le Drian as saying that “the next president of the republic can only be consensual.”
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