Qatari envoy meets for second time with Franjieh

No date has been set yet for Qatari State Minister Mohammed al-Khulaifi’s visit to Lebanon amid futile meetings in Beirut by Qatari envoy Jassem bin Fahad Al-Thani, media reports said.

Al-Thani “has met for a second time with Marada Movement chief Sueliman Franjieh, who was decisive in informing him that he will not withdraw his nomination and that he will continue in the presidential race with the support of a firm bloc consisting of 51 MPs,” the reports said.

The Shiite Duo meanwhile told the Qatari envoy that it “will not ask Franjieh to withdraw.”

And pending the announcement of a date for a new visit by French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian to Beirut, the ambassadors of the five-nation group for Lebanon are expected to meet with Speaker Nabih Berri over the next few days to discuss the difficulties of the presidential file, the reports added.