Report: Girault Suspends Initiative after Difficulty to Reach Breakthrough in Presidency

Director of the Department of the Middle East and North Africa at the French Foreign Ministry Jean-François Girault decided to suspend his endeavors to reach a breakthrough regarding the presidential stalemate in Lebanon unless new developments occur.

According to al-Joumhouria newspaper published on Thursday, the French diplomat informed Lebanese officials that he postponed an expected visit to Beirut to make way for new developments.

He will not travel to Lebanon unless a new development happens, the newspaper reported.

Sources told the daily that Girault visited the Vatican on Monday, where he met with senior officials, who are concerned with following up the presidential deadlock in Lebanon.

The diplomat briefed the officials on his recent visit to Tehran and Riyadh and his talks with senior Iranian and Saudi officials, in addition to his meeting with al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri.

The sources revealed that dialogue regarding the election of a new head of state went down the drain after Tehran backed down on previous pledges to facilitate the crisis due to the rising tension in Syria and Bahrain.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat said in comments published in As Safir newspaper that Girault's mission “hit a dead end.”

The Druze chief noted that Iranian officials informed the French diplomat that the Christians have the right to choose their president under Vatican's sponsorship.

Girault last visited Lebanon in December, where he met during his two-day visit prominent Lebanese officials.

The French diplomat was tasked by French President Francois Hollande to try to reach a breakthrough over the presidential elections in Lebanon.

Lebanon has been left without a president since May, when the tenure of President Michel Suleiman ended, because of sharp differences between the rival March 8 and March 14 alliances.

H.K.

G.K.