Quintet ambassadors meet Berri, al-Rahi

The ambassadors of the member states of the five-nation group for Lebanon, which comprises the U.S., France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt, met Monday with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.

"The meeting was very good," Berri said, adding that there will be other meetings. "There is an agreement that an understanding must be reached and a president must be elected."

Egyptian Ambassador Alaa Moussa said after the meeting that he is optimistic and that Berri was very responsive. "We presented ideas and we are always optimistic," Moussa said.

Moussa later said from Bkerki that the ambassadors' meeting with al-Rahi was "very important" and that they have discussed with him the upcoming steps. "There are many steps, the first is to hold talks with all the blocs in order to elect a president according to a road map that we will present."

Moussa said the ambassadors have lately seen flexibility that might pave the way for electing a president.

In parallel with the five-nation group's efforts, the National Moderation parliamentary bloc had launched an initiative in February, calling for consultations in Parliament followed by open electoral sessions.

Moussa said the quintet's efforts would benefit from National Moderation bloc's initiative that might facilitate finding some common ground.

The quintet's ambassadors will also meet with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Asharq al-Awsat newspaper said Monday.

Sources told the daily that the five-nation group has no candidates, while Change MP Waddah al-Sadeq said that the quintet is now discussing names.

"We are not discussing names, but rather commitment," Moussa said. "Commitment would facilitate talks between the political forces about who they want to nominate."

During the meeting, al-Rahi called on resorting to the constitution to elect a president because it is "the shortcut to the democratic process", Bkerki's sources said.

Crisis-hit Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun's term ended in October 2022, with neither of the two main blocs -- Hezbollah and its opponents -- having the majority required to elect one.

The international community and the five-nation group have long urged Lebanese leaders to end months of political wrangling and stem the financial meltdown.