France continues to exert diplomatic pressure to bring about the Lebanese presidential election as it prepares to hand over billions in weapons and equipment to the Lebanese Army, but French officials have reportedly expressed concern over the lack of political will in Lebanon to overcome the presidential crisis.
Visitors to Paris who spoke with officials there say France is in contact with various regional and international parties in an effort to resolve Lebanon’s myriad crises, mainly the presidential vacuum.
The French reading, as explained by French officials to their Lebanese visitors, is that the United Nations is currently preoccupied with the regional situation, particularly the terrorist organizations such as ISIS and the Nusra Front, leaving no room to address the Lebanese presidential crisis. Recently Iranian-Saudi and Iranian-American meetings in New York failed to yield the solution many were hoping for.
“The ball is still in the court of the Lebanese,” the officials reportedly said. “If they want to put an end to this crisis, they should agree on a consensus candidate and get away from foreign interference which ties Lebanon to outside issues that have no imminent solutions, especially the conflict in Syria. If there is any room for foreign role, it does not go beyond urging political leaders to agree among themselves.”
The sources said that France was in discreet contact with some of the parties, particularly Iran and the Vatican, to urge support for a consensus candidate acceptable to the Lebanese people, and to convince Free Patriotic Movement Michel Aoun’s allies that he was not a realistic candidate.
However, the Vatican is currently refusing to get involved, fearing that its actions might be misunderstood and lead to a deepening of the Christian-Christian divide in Lebanon. Iran has also remained tight-lipped, telling a French official that the Islamic Republic was “aware of the details” of the case in Lebanon.
According to the French view, that in light of the escalation of sectarian tension and deteriorating security linked to regional events, the Lebanese state is weak as a result of the presidential vacuum, and that if it persists any longer, it could lead to a decline in the prestige of the presidency, and Christians of the region would lose an important figure.
In regard to the Saudi-French gift to the Army, visitors to Paris said officials told them France has no problem with strengthening and enhancing the capabilities of the Lebanese Army, but there are red lines not drawn by France preventing them from providing the Army with certain heavy weapons. These prohibitions are linked to fears the weapons may fall into Hezbollah’s hands and that Israel could be threatened by a strengthened Lebanese Army. There have been painstaking negotiations to find a solution to this impasse that pleases all parties, and provides the Army with the resources needed to fight terrorism.
The French officials did not offer details, but assured their Lebanese visitors that the Lebanese Army would receive enough equipment and hardware to meet its needs for “years” in order to control the border and security in remote areas, through monitoring and airstrikes.
Officials maintain that the main reason for the delay in delivery of the equipment has to do with the manufacturing process, which is nearing completion, and which would allow the French state to start handing over weapons and equipment starting next month and finishing by the beginning of next year.
The officials reportedly denied rumors the delay was caused by mediators France insisted on bringing into the deal, adding that that there are exclusive agents for the French manufacturers who have agreements that cannot be ignored.
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