French presidential envoy Patrick Durel avoided talking about French sanctions against Lebanese officials during his meetings in Beirut on Wednesday, and did not comment on an alternative to Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, in case the latter abandoned his mission to form a new government.
Political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Durel’s visit represented a last attempt to save the government formation, adding that he provided advice and tried to open the way to accelerate the formation process.
The French envoy informed the Lebanese politicians that there was no solution but in forming a government; “otherwise the country is heading for further collapse.”
Stressing that no aid would be granted before the new cabinet saw light, Durel said that France provided humanitarian aid to international community institutions and not to the Lebanese state.
On the meeting with President Michel Aoun, the sources said talks were held in a positive atmosphere. The Lebanese president told Durel that he was ready to cooperate, but would not give up his constitutional powers in terms of partnership in forming the government according to Article 53 of the Constitution.
The sources noted that the French envoy avoided talking about the details of his meeting with the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gibran Bassil, and about any possible French sanctions against the Lebanese officials obstructing the formation of the government. He also abstained from raising the issue of a replacement to Hariri, if the latter withdrew from his mission.
In his meeting with Hariri, Durel warned of the dangers of a government vacuum as the people’s sufferings are increasing, stressing that there was no solution to save the country but by forming a new government.
The sources said that the premier-designate affirmed his commitment to the French initiative and his support to Speaker Nabih Berri’s efforts.
In his meeting with Berri, the sources said that Durel stressed that a strong government able to carry out reforms was the last chance to save the country.
