US embassy intensifies meddling in Lebanon’s presidential selection: Report
Washington is reportedly pushing once again to secure the army chief’s presidency after Saudi Arabia clarified that it will not ‘veto’ Hezbollah-backed candidate Suleiman Franjieh
By
News Desk
– May 10 2023
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(Photo Credit: @LF_ForeignAff)
US ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea has redoubled efforts to meddle in Lebanon’s presidential deadlock in a bid to dissuade political leaders from backing Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh and instead pick Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) commander General Joseph Aoun for the post, according to diplomatic sources that spoke with Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar.
According to Al-Akhbar, this came after Saudi Arabia’s recent clarification that it would not ‘veto’ Franjieh over his close ties to Hezbollah. It also followed Syria’s Saudi-sponsored return to the Arab League, it added.
“American [disappointment in] the countries (France, Saudi Arabia) that they believed could prevent Franjieh’s election prompted Washington … to reenter the game,” the newspaper added.
Just a day ago, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Lebanon, Walid al-Bukhari, categorically denied that his country interferes in Lebanon’s presidential process.
Regarding Paris’ position, Al-Akhbar reported last month, citing a French official, that “France supports Franjieh as president at the head of a reformist government, and that ‘there is no other solution.’”
“A meeting for the five-party group (France, U.S., KSA, Egypt and Qatar) had been scheduled for the current month, but the differences [on the Lebanese presidency] within the group led to postponing it to next month without specifying an exact date,” French sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper this week.
Sources ‘connected to US diplomatic circles’ in Lebanon confirmed the “change of [US] rhetoric” regarding the presidency, which contradicted Washington’s claims from a few weeks ago that it was neutral and would support whoever is elected.
The report goes on to quote Shea as saying recently in front of a group of politicians that “there is an opportunity” to undermine Franjieh’s candidacy.
Shea reportedly said that those who ‘hold on to Franjieh’ extoll him in the media, but behind closed doors, are actually open to other options.
“[Aoun’s candidacy] was approved by the majority of those opposing Franjieh’s candidacy,” Shea was further quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, the head of Lebanon’s Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), Walid Jumblatt, told Parliament Speaker and Amal Movement leader Nabih Berri recently that he will not support Franjieh, given that the Marada leader does not have approval from the two largest Christian blocs.
Separately, Berri was quoted to have said that “the Americans have begun to [make their] move.”
