House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Tuesday welcomed the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, for discussions on the current political and field developments in Lebanon and the region.
The meeting also delved into the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon, bilateral relations between Lebanon and Egypt, the presidential deadline, and the work of the Quintet Committee.
Following the meeting, Ambassador Moussa addressed journalists, stating, “Today, I had the honor of meeting with House Speaker Nabih Berri, a visit that aligns with my constant commitment to communicate with him and all the Lebanese political forces.”
“We’ve discussed the overall situation in the region and the evolving developments and their impact on the region, especially on Egypt and Lebanon. I listened to Speaker Berri’s assessments and vision for the future and also presented our evaluation. We also addressed the presidential vacancy and the role of the Quintet Committee. Our exchange of opinions on this
matter is expected to lead to positive outcomes in the near future, God willing,’ the Egyptian diplomat explained.
Responding to a question about the delay in the Quintet Committee ambassadors’ meeting with Speaker Berri, the Egyptian Ambassador clarified that today’s meeting with Berri was an opportunity to confirm that the stance in the ‘Quintet’ was unified.
‘Yesterday, I met with Prime Minister Mikati and conveyed the same message. As expressed on multiple occasions, the ‘Quintet’ has a unanimous stance. Regarding today’s scheduled meeting by the ‘Quintet,’ it has been postponed to a later period as part of other meetings between the ambassadors of the ‘Quintet’ and various political forces to arrange ambassadors’ travel schedules. This is a natural occurrence concerning ambassadors’ engagement schedules, and it will be addressed and considered in the future. We are actively working to arrange a meeting with the ambassadors of the ‘Quintet’ promptly,’ Moussa said.
On the necessity of separating the pre
sidential file from the situation in Gaza, Moussa stated, “Given the nature of things, any country worldwide should have a president, and under challenging and critical circumstances, this becomes even more imperative. Therefore, we believe that what is happening in the region, the challenges faced by Lebanon and the region, necessitate expediting this obligation-electing a president as soon as possible.”
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon