Shoukry praised the recent initiatives of the ambassadors of the five-nation group — Egypt, France, Saudi Arabia, the US, and Qatar Shoukry stressed the importance of the role played by the group in trying to help the Lebanese people reach a solution to their political crises CAIRO: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Wednesday spoke to Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French president’s special envoy to Lebanon, about the Lebanese presidential vacancy crisis. Shoukry praised the recent initiatives of the ambassadors of the five-nation group — Egypt, France, Saudi Arabia, the US, and Qatar — and their meeting with Nabih Berri, the speaker of Lebanon’s parliament. Shoukry stressed the importance of the role played by the group in trying to help the Lebanese people reach a solution to their political crises. He also focused on Egypt’s stance of encouraging Lebanese parties to choose the president before forming a functioning government. He said Egypt welcomed Lebanon’s steps to appoint senior military personnel and its chief of internal security forces, and stressed the need to preserve the country’s constitutional framework. The French envoy looked at his efforts in communicating with the Lebanese parties to resolve the presidential crisis, and emphasized existing cooperation and coordination with Egypt at all levels. Le Drian said that he had visited Lebanon four times, meeting all the important and influential figures, and that in all his meetings he had stressed the responsibility of the Lebanese parties to solve the presidential issue. He pointed out that the continued state of instability affected the interests of many countries, not just Lebanon, and solutions must be found to lead the country out of its stalemate. Ahmed Abu Zeid, the spokesman for Egypt’s Foreign Ministry, said that the two sides also discussed developments in the Gaza Strip, which are currently casting a shadow on the Lebanese arena and increasing the complexity of the situation. Shoukry said that the Gaza situation had consequences affecting the chances of stability in Lebanon, including the issue of resolving the presidential vacuum. The parties looked at Egyptian and French efforts to calm the situation. Le Drian said that his country considered itself a friend of the Arab countries and a supporter of the Palestinian cause. Meanwhile, Alaa Moussa, Egypt’s ambassador to Lebanon, visited Saad Hariri, the former prime minister of Lebanon, to offer his condolences on the 19th anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The meeting also touched on regional developments and the situation in Lebanon, including ways to end the presidential vacuum. Moussa briefed Hariri on the Egyptian efforts in coordination with the others in the five-nation group. Lebanon has endured its presidential vacancy since the end of the term of former President Michel Aoun in October 2022.