Safa, Bassil to discuss 'Saudi proposals' and Salameh successor

Political circles are betting on the outcome of the meeting that will be held Tuesday between Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil and Hezbollah liaison and coordination official Wafiq Safa, media reports said.

Sources close to the FPM told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Monday that the meeting will be held at Hezbollah’s request.

Hezbollah wants to “exchange opinions over the results of the latest consultations, especially those related to the presidential election,” the sources said.

Safa “will carry a host of questions and answers over the outcome of the foreign mediations, especially the Saudi proposals that were carried by Ambassador (Walid) Bukhari over the past few days,” the sources added.

The sources also noted that the talks will tackle administrative and financial files, especially the central bank governor post in light of Riad Salameh’s looming term expiry.

Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had on Friday stressed that the caretaker Cabinet should not name a new central bank governor nor extend Salameh’s term before the election of a new president.