Report: FPM, LF won't agree on president as US, KSA press al-Rahi

The “rift is increasing” among the Christian forces that are opposed to Suleiman Franjieh’s election as president and “their disagreement on the alternative allows the advocates of the ‘third choice’ to work separately from these forces’ agenda,” a media report said.

“It also allows foreign forces to have the upper hand and this is what the contacts of the past hours have showed,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Friday.

Separately, the daily said that “the U.S. and Saudi sides have swiftly moved toward Bkirki out of fear that it might voice a stance reflecting serious willingness to discuss Franjieh’s nomination.”

“While the Saudis have informed Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi that they do not intend to accept this (Franjieh-for-Nawaf Salam) bargain, the U.S. pressure on al-Rahi was bigger, through an advice that he should not take any stance suggesting that there is a major rift in the Christian community and that he should not meet Franjieh’s supporters halfway,” al-Akhbar added.

Informed sources meanwhile told the newspaper that “the Americans have openly expressed that they do not support Franjieh’s nomination,” and that “the U.S. Ambassador to Beirut Dorothy Shea has said that what Speaker Nabih Berri has quoted her as saying in terms of Washington’s non-opposition to Franjieh’s election had been a normal diplomatic answer that is expected from any ambassador.”

“The U.S. administration’s stance is opposed to any candidate backed by Hezbollah,” the sources quoted Shea as saying.

Al-Akhbar added that “the Saudi and American inflexibility toward the French ideas calling for a presidential-premiership bargain is linked toward negotiations that are underway with sides that have an influence in the Lebanese arena, seeing as Syria and Saudi Arabia are exchanging messages and that Damascus is also communicating with other concerned capitals.”