According to the latest information received overnight from the Syrian capital, the third meeting held between the Syrian Vice President, Mr. Abdel Halim Khaddam, and the US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs, Mr. Richard Morqi, failed to overcome the differences between the two sides regarding the presidential elections in Lebanon.
Al-Diyar has learned that the dispute revolves around the electoral mechanism. The American side proposed the principle of allowing freedom in the elections in exchange for abandoning the “veto” on the name of President Suleiman Franjieh. The Syrian side insisted on nominating the former president or implementing comprehensive political reforms in the Lebanese system.
The American delegation rejected this condition, considering elections as the priority, with reforms to follow.
The information further states that this disagreement has prompted discussions to raise the issue of the government. The American side emphasized that if Damascus adheres to its conditions, the Lebanese president would form a transitional government, and Washington would recognize it. Therefore, the most appropriate solution is to ensure freedom in the elections and accept the results, regardless of the elected president.
However, the Syrian side warned Washington that the election of an anti-Syrian president would lead Damascus to hold the United States responsible for his election. Damascus would then be free from any obligation to support or assist him in ruling. In exchange for the Syrian proposal, Damascus has indicated its willingness to provide guarantees regarding the election of President Franjieh, such as ensuring that the Syrian army will not enter the eastern regions.
According to this information, the hope for saving the negotiations rests on the expected meeting between President Assad and Murphy, although the date has not been officially set.
The third meeting between Khaddam and Murphy was an indication of the challenges faced in the negotiations. This evening meeting was unscheduled and followed a four-hour continuous meeting between the two men earlier in the afternoon.
Khaddam and Murphy
The second meeting between Khaddam and Murphy took place at 10 pm and lasted until 2 am.
Syrian radio reported that the two men continued to discuss the topics covered in their first meeting on Wednesday night. Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Yusuf Shakur and the American delegation, which included United States Ambassador to Damascus Edward Jerjian and David Newton, the official in charge of the Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan Department at the State Department, were present at the meeting.
An official source explained that Khaddam highlighted “Syria’s consistent policy that aims to promote unity in Lebanon and foster reconciliation among the Lebanese people to address the underlying causes of the crisis and restore peace to the country.”
The third meeting between Khaddam and Murphy took place at 6:30 p.m. and lasted for a full hour.
No details about the Syrian-American talks were provided by the American Embassy, which, according to Agence France-Presse, remained completely silent, nor from any official Syrian source.
After his second meeting with Khaddam, Murphy met with Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Mohammed Al-Emadi.
Reuters, on its part, indicated that the evening meeting with Khaddam was not scheduled, quoting Western diplomats in Damascus. This suggests that their discussions on Lebanon were challenging.
Diplomats added that Murphy engaged in four-hour talks with Khaddam to discuss the election of a new Lebanese president and strategies to restore security and stability to Lebanon.
Diplomats believed that the extension of the talks indicated their difficulty and the need to clarify several points before Murphy’s meeting with Syrian President Hafez al-Assad.
According to Reuters, diplomats stated that Syria still supports former Lebanese President Suleiman Franjieh, who is rejected by radical Christians in Lebanon as a successor to President Amin Gemayel. They also mentioned that Syrian officials were disappointed with Washington’s withdrawal from what they claimed was an earlier agreement to accept political reform in Lebanon and recognize Syria’s role there. However, they believed that Murphy’s visit to Damascus and his willingness to discuss Lebanon’s problems indicated recognition of the Syrian role.
Diplomatic sources in Beirut attributed the lack of information about the talks to a tacit agreement between the two sides that preceded the resumption of negotiations. According to this agreement, both sides pledged not to announce anything until they reached an understanding. These sources expected that if an agreement is reached, the election session would be held on the 20th of this year, which is next Tuesday.
