Hollande's Lebanon Visit Aimed at Backing Suleiman as 'Guardian of National Unity'

French President Francois Hollande is expected to arrive in Lebanon on Sunday in a bid to emphasize France's support for President Michel Suleiman as the “national unity guardian”, as well to emphasize the necessity of dialogue among Lebanese factions, the daily An Nahar said Saturday.

Hollande's visit will last for three hours. He is keen to make this visit to express his country's support to Suleiman, whom France considers the “guardian of national unity,” the daily added.

The French president's visit also aims at expressing France's solidarity “with a friendly country going through a critical stage on the regional and internal levels that are threatening Lebanon's sovereignty and independence,” it added.

Moreover, the visit aims to express France's support to the constitutional institutions in the country as it backs Suleiman's efforts to maintain stability and security, it noted.

Hollande will arrive at Sunday morning at the Rafik Hariri International Airport and will head directly to the Baabda Presidential Palace for a meeting with his counterpart, according to An Nahar.

The two officials will hold a press conference afterwards.

Hollande will leave to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia later.

For their part, well informed European diplomatic sources in Beirut stressed that “the European stance regarding the March 14 camp's decision to boycott all parliamentary activities is the same as when the March 8 alliance boycotted the cabinet of former Premier Fouad Saniora (in 2006).”

“The European position calls for resorting to democratic institutions, which Lebanon is famous for following. All the Arab states are joining the march of democracy, while some parties want to hold Lebanon back,” As Safir quoted the sources as saying.

Suleiman is expected to hold consultations with political powers to determine a stance regarding dialogue and the shaky political situation in the wake of the assassination of Internal Security Forces Information Bureau chief Wissam al-Hasan.

Meanwhile, the March 14 camp is adamant on toppling the cabinet of Prime Minister Najib Miqati, blaming it for covering up the crime which it blames on Syria. The alliance has since decided to boycott all parliamentary activities.

Hasan was assassinated on October 19 in a massive car bomb in Ashrafiyeh that left three dead and more than 100 wounded.