Report: France Informed Suleiman that he Should Play Balancing Role in Lebanon

France informed President Michel Suleiman that he has a pivotal role in guaranteeing a balance of power between the different political factions in the country, pan-Arab daily al-Hayat reported Sunday.

Informed French sources told the newspaper that President Nicolas Sarkozy sent a letter to his Lebanese counterpart with his envoy Patrice Paoli, stressing that Paris considers Suleiman a “guarantor of institutions.”

Sarkozy stressed that Suleiman has a pivotal role at a time when Premier-designate Najib Miqati is seeking to form a one-sided government, the sources said.

The French president warned that the international community would be monitoring the moves of the government and urged Suleiman to act as a go-between.

Paris also asked Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji through Paoli to increase the number of military units in the south, stressing that the mission of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was to facilitate the deployment of the army and not replace it.

“The number of army units in the south should increase so that it becomes responsible for the security of the south,” the French sources told al-Hayat.

Qahwaji promised the French envoy to deploy more troops in the area south of the Litani river, they said.

Al-Hayat reported that Paris believes the situation in Lebanon became complicated since Hizbullah toppled Caretaker Premier Saad Hariri’s cabinet and nominated Najib Miqati to form the new government.