France denies planning conference to resolve Lebanon's political crisis

French Ambassador to Lebanon Emmanuel Bonne denied Tuesday the media reports about Paris planning on holding an international conference to resolve Lebanon's political crisis.

Bonne told the LBCI TV that a "misunderstanding" had occurred over the issue.

Bonne had stated on Monday that Paris was seeking to hold such a conference in the wake of French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault's upcoming trip to Beirut scheduled for May 27.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and the parliament has failed in 39 consecutive sessions to elect a new president.

After a Paris meeting with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri last year, Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh emerged as a serious presidential candidate but the proposal to nominate Franjieh was met with reservations from Lebanon's main Christian parties as well as Hezbollah.

Franjieh's main competitor, Free Patriotic Movement founder Michel Aoun, enjoys key support from Hezbollah and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and has refused to withdraw from the race.

Source: XINHUA