France warns Lebanese politicians: No special treatment for anyone, anymore

SMA NEWS – BEIRUT

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian threatened to ratchet up pressure on Lebanese politicians, accusing them of seeking “collective suicide”  by failing to pull the country out of its deep economic crisis.

It became clear, according to Lebanese political analysts, that Le Drian was referring to the entire Lebanese political class, that Paris blames everyone and that the rule from now on is that there will be no favouritism anymore in France’s attitude towards any of Lebanon’s leaders.

Lebanese analysts said Le Drian’s visit this time was totally different from past trips as his meetings with the three leaders were cold.  He is said to have listened to their  justifications more than he talked but he held them responsible for the failure of France’s initiative to form a government of specialists in Lebanon.

Sources said the French minister could not fathom how the steps discussed last summer had still not been taken nearly a year later.

Jean-Yves Le Drian told reporters on Friday that France, which has spearheaded efforts to provide foreign aid, must move on towards addressing the political impasse, after the many months of talks aimed at forming a new government have reached a dead end.

He added that if the situation continues, there will be strict punitive measures, at the French level and perhaps also at the level of the European Union, against Lebanese politicians who are blocking the solution to the crisis.

Le Drian did not answer questions about when the sanctions could be imposed nor whom they would target.

He said only that his country has begun putting in place restrictive measures against Lebanese figures responsible for the current political deadlock and that these measures could be tightened with additional European instruments. His message was that Lebanese politicians are not just confronted  with a French démarche that could be overcome with time, but  that the  French sanctions may be taken up by the rest of the European Union.