Sleiman returns to Beirut to head dialogue session
Dialogue Session Agenda
President Michel Sleiman returned from a weekend trip to the Sultanate of Oman to preside over a fifth round of national dialogue talks scheduled to take place on Monday at the Baabda Palace. Media reports over the weekend suggested that items such as the national defense strategy, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) to try suspects in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and the overall security situation will top the meeting”s agenda.
Speaking to the Lebanese community in the Sultanate, Sleiman said the "route to reform" has made its way into Lebanon, adding that the upcoming parliamentary elections on June 7 should work as "an example of integrity."
Sleiman and Oman”s Sultan Qabus bin Said on Saturday called for the improvement of ties between the two countries and the stressed the need to continue inter-Arab reconciliation.
The Lebanese president arrived in Muscat Saturday on a two-day official visit.
The two men discussed bilateral ties and means to improve them, according to the state-run National News Agency.
In other developments, An-Nahar newspaper reported on Sunday that the March 14 alliance is expected to raise the issue of Lebanon”s cooperation with the STL during Monday”s national dialogue session.
The newspaper added that the March 14 Forces will stress the need to implement previous recommendations reached during dialogue sessions in 2006 concerning the international investigation into Hariri”s killing as well as the STL.
Recent security incidents, namely the launching of rockets from south Lebanon to Israel will also figure on the meeting”s agenda, the daily said.
The fifth round of dialogue is also expected to pursue discussions on a national defense strategy. Well-informed source said Speaker Nabih Berri is expected to present his proposal for the defense strategy during Monday”s talks.
Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Michel Aoun, Lebanese Forces boss Samir Geagea and MP Butros Harb presented their strategy blueprints during previous sessions.
Members of the national dialogue are also expected to finish forming a committee of military experts to draw up a unified defense strategy on the basis of all the blueprints presented.
An-Nahar said on Sunday that Sleiman might ask Democratic Gathering bloc leader MP Walid Jumblatt to reverse a decision to suspend the participation of his representative, Charif Fayyad, on the committee. Jumblatt”s response is expected to be positive, it added.
Aoun, meanwhile, appointed on Sunday retired Brigadier General Michel Abi Rizq as his representative on the defense strategy committee.
In other developments, Aoun on Sunday launched the FPM”s elections campaign, and described the spring parliamentary elections as "the most important polls in Lebanon”s modern history."
"We choose our candidates based on the efforts they have exerted over four years," Aoun told supporters at a conference at Le Royal Hotel in Dbayeh.
Aoun again slammed the formation of a centrist parliamentary bloc.
"The ruling class is trying to market a group of weak candidates under different titles and names in an attempt to prevent the FPM from reaching Parliament and achieving reform," Aoun argued.
"When it comes to reform and state-building there is no room for centrists," he added.
"We are reform extremists," the FPM leader said.
Hizbullah also launched its elections campaign in the Bekaa Valley during a rally in Baalbek on Sunday.
Hizbullah”s second in command Sheikh Naim Qassem said the June parliamentary elections were not "fateful or decisive but important," adding that polls would take place on time.
Qassem disclosed that 10,000 people were involved in Hizbullah”s electoral campaign in the Bekaa region and that the party had started preparing for elections three months ago.
He added that the party”s platform for elections revolved around the themes of development and resistance.
"Our slogan for this year”s election is Resistance and Development," he said. Hizbullah”s parliamentary bloc is currently dubbed the "Loyalty to the Resistance bloc."
Qassem also said the international community should respect the choice of the Lebanese in the event that the opposition wins the June parliamentary elections.
"If the opposition wins the elections, countries should simply deal with this fact, don”t let anyone scare you regarding this matter," he added.
Hizbullah”s number two pointed out that his party was represented in the Cabinet, adding that foreign ambassadors and officials were "standing in line to talk to Hizbullah and, except for US and Israel, we have good relations with all."
Qassem also welcomed the Saudi-Syrian rapprochement, adding that this was likely to reflect positively on the upcoming elections, "since we are expected to witness a media truce."
Qassem argued that Lebanon should benefit from Hizbullah”s arms and expertise, "and increase the support to Hizbullah so we can liberate the rest of Lebanese territories under Israeli occupation."
"The defense strategy should benefit from the strength of the resistance and work on building a strong army," he said.
Qassem reiterated that his party”s chief enemy was Israel, adding that Hizbullah had no domestic enemies.
In other elections-related news, Marada Movement Leader Sleiman Franjieh made a televised address to Lebanese expatriates in Australia urging them to head to Lebanon Lebanon on June 7 and vote at the parliamentary elections.
"Don”t sell your conscience for money," he said.
In other news, the head of the Progressive Socialist Party ended Sunday a three-day visit to Russia, where he met with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev and several other Russia officials.
Jumblatt praised Moscow”s support for Lebanon”s independence and sovereignty, and for the Palestinian cause.
He also thanked Russia for financing the Special Tribunal into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
On Sunday evening, Jumblatt and Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi visited Speaker Berri at his residence in Ain al-Tineh. Jumblatt and Aridi did not comment to reporters after the visit.
Also on Sunday, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora traveled to Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to attend the International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Economy and Reconstruction of Gaza. Siniora met on Sunday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.