Paris Urges Lebanese Politicians to Advance Collective Interest
Arab World
Paris - Michel Abu Najm
Hours after Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation on Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Lebanon’s crisis would deepen. The French official revealed what diplomatic circles were saying away from the media spotlight in the past two weeks. "Prime Minister (Saad) Hariri has just resigned, which makes the crisis even more serious," Le Drian told the French parliament. The minister urged political leaders to "do everything to guarantee the stability of institutions and the unity of Lebanon, that's indispensable." In a televised statement Tuesday, the Lebanese prime minister said he had heard "the will of many Lebanese who took to the streets to demand change" in protests he called "historic." Le Drian said protecting the country’s stability is conditioned by a willingness to listen to the voice and demands of the population. "Lebanon needs a commitment from all political leaders to look within themselves and make sure there is a strong response to the population," he said. In this regard, Le Drian said France was ready to help Lebanon respond to the people’s demands. The French minister’s comments indicate that Paris is willing to continue to work with the Lebanese. This year, France appointed Emmanuel Bonne as the diplomatic advisor of French President Emmanuel Macron. Bonne had served as ambassador in Lebanon until 2017, when he was asked to head Le Drian’s office at the foreign ministry. This summer, the Elysee Palace said that Bonne left for Tehran, seeking ways to restart dialogue with Iranian officials on the nuclear file and the diplomatic efforts that Paris launched to secure a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani. There is no doubt that in the coming days, France is expected to hold talks with top officials to find ways in moving Lebanon away from further economic collapse and a deterioration in the political situation.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1968136/paris-urges-lebanese-politicians-advance-collective-interest
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