Lebanon: Le Drian Meets Raad

By Staff, Agencies

French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian met Thursday with the Head of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc MP Mohammed Raad in Haret Hreik and with Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri for a second time in Ain Al-Tineh.

Le Drian arrived Tuesday in Lebanon to help resolve divisions that have left the presidency vacant for nearly nine months and met with Berri, who said that the meeting was “good” and that “an opening has pierced through” Lebanon's power vacuum.

On Wednesday, he met with Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.

Lebanese lawmakers failed 12 times to elect a successor to former president Michel Aoun.

Le Drian came to Lebanon last month for the first time as France’s envoy, meeting key figures on a “consultative” mission to push for a solution to the protracted political deadlock.