Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, on Monday hosted the ambassadors of the Quintet Committee. Discussions primarily focused on the current situation, notably the impending presidential elections.
Among the attendees were US Ambassador Lisa Johnson, French Ambassador Hervé Magro, KSA Ambassador Walid Bukhari, Egyptian Ambassador Alaa Moussa, and Qatari Ambassador Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Following an hour-long meeting, the Egyptian Ambassador emphasized the significance of the ambassadors’ meeting with Patriarch Al-Rahi.
“The purpose of the meeting was to inform and consult him on the steps we will take,” the Egyptian diplomat stated, adding, “these steps are based on several stages. The first step is to engage with all blocs to elect a president according to a roadmap we will present.”
“The committee has observed flexibility in recent times, which will assist us in creating the groundwork to initiate tangible steps towards electing a president,’ Moussa added, noting that the
Quintet’s momentum would benefit from the movement of the National Accord Bloc.
“We build on internal movement to facilitate the creation of common ground for accomplishing the presidential process,’ he added.
The Egyptian Ambassador further emphasized, “We are not discussing specific names but rather commitment. If such commitment exists, discussions among political forces about potential nominees for the presidency will be smoother.”
The Egyptian diplomat finally highlighted the Quintet Committee’s wishes ‘for all parties to demonstrate the flexibility that will facilitate taking steps towards a tangible breakthrough in this dilemma.”
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon