Hariri, Bassil Put 'Final Touches' in Paris on 'New Settlement'

Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement chief and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil have met in Paris to put the “final touches” on a new political settlement that will be announced next week, a media report published Sunday said.

“The new settlement is supposed to be announced before December 9 and the Cabinet will resume its sessions,” informed sources told Kuwait’s al-Jarida newspaper.

Hariri had caused widespread perplexity on November 4 when he resigned during a TV broadcast from Saudi Arabia, citing assassination threats and blasting the policies of Iran and Hizbullah in Lebanon and the region.

After a puzzling mini-odyssey that took him to France, Egypt and Cyprus, Hariri arrived back in Lebanon on November 21 and then announced that he was putting his decision to quit on hold ahead of negotiations.

But while Hariri and his Saudi backers seemed on a collision course with Hizbullah last month, an apparent behind-the-scenes deal now appears to be restoring the status quo.

The premier has called for dissociating Lebanon from the regional conflicts through ending Hizbullah’s involvement in them, revealing that “there is seriousness in the ongoing contacts and dialogues” and that the other parties seem to be inclined to accept his proposals.