Le Drian resumes meetings in Lebanon over presidential file

French Special Presidential Envoy for Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian met Thursday with Hezbollah top MP Mohammad Raad, Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil and Kataeb leader Sami Gemayyel.

The meeting with Raad was also attended by French Ambassador to Lebanon Herve Magro and Hezbollah’s Arab and international relations officer Ammar al-Moussawi.

Le Drian had arrived in Beirut on Tuesday night and held a series of meetings Wednesday with Lebanese political and religious officials.

Lebanon’s presidential vacuum and the situation in south Lebanon are the focus of his visit.

After meeting Le Drian, Gemayyel called for the implementation of U.N. Res. 1701 and the withdrawal of all armed groups from the south to be replaced only by the Lebanese Army.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea who had met Le Drian on Wednesday, also said after the meeting that Le Drian supports the withdrawal of all "militias" from the south and the implementation of 1701.