Egypt Ambassador: Quintet Committee Focuses on Common Ground, Not Presidential Names

Egypt's Ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, affirmed that "the Quintet Committee aims to apply the constitution and not to violate it," pointing out that "some have concerns about 'dialogue,' but no president has been elected in Lebanon at any time without dialogue.

"The difference between previous and current dialogues is that they are chaired by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. We should not talk about the 'form' of dialogue but rather agree on the 'principle.' What we observed from Berri in the first and second meetings is his 'consistent stance,' and he has expressed a desire to achieve the elections. We do not talk about names because it is not our role; rather, we seek common ground among the factions," Moussa said in an interview with LBCI.

"There are three stages: the first requires communication with various blocs and obtaining their commitment to the presidential file, the second is to conduct consultations and deliberations, and the third is to go to the parliament and conduct the election, and the most important among these stages is the first," he added.

Moussa considered that "if everyone finds 'consensus' to be the solution, there is no way to achieve it except through 'discussion,' but as for the form of 'discussion,' the Quintet works on it to satisfy everyone while adhering to the constitution."

He pointed out that "the best and most logical approach to the presidential issue is to obtain 'commitment' from all blocs."

In addition, he said, "We will meet with all blocs, and now dates are being set, and some ambassadors will take a long vacation from mid-April, which is why we postponed the meetings until after Eid al-Fitr."

He believed that "the situation in the region will certainly affect Lebanon, and we are using this influence positively, and the atmosphere is suitable for the presidential file."