Report: Hariri's Endeavors to End Deadlock Continue, Travels to Riyadh Overnight

Al-Mustaqbal Movement chief ex-PM Saad Hariri flew to Riyadh on Tuesday for talks with Saudi officials over the thorny file of Lebanon's presidency, media reports said on Wednesday.

Hariri has returned recently to Lebanon and launched a series of presidential consultations with the main political parties in a bid to end the deadlock at the top state post.

He is reportedly exploring the possibility of endorsing founder of the Free Patriotic Movemnet MP Michel Aoun.

Last week he met in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who expressed “support” for Hariri's efforts.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and Hizbullah, Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and some of their allies have been boycotting the parliament's electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum.

Hariri, who is close to Saudi Arabia, launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.

Hariri's move prompted Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea to endorse the nomination of Aoun, his long-time Christian rival, after months of political rapprochement talks between their two parties.

The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid argue that he is more eligible than Franjieh to become president due to the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.