Moussa Preparing to Relaunch Inter-Lebanese Dialogue

 
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa was preparing to relaunch the long dormant inter-Lebanese dialogue after failing to get the country”s feuding leaders to agree on an Arab plan to elect a new president and end the deepening political crisis.

 

The daily An Nahar said in its front-page report published on Sunday that Moussa will work on reviving the “prospect of dialogue” before heading back for Lebanon.

 

It said some Lebanese political parties suggested to Moussa that the talks be conditional to the participation of the five members of the Arab ministerial committee that forged the Arab plan to resolve the presidential crisis.

They include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Qatar and Oman.

 

An Nahar said that in the event that this proposal was taken seriously, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem would then be part of the equation which would lead to the election of army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman president.

 

It said Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, after failing to work out a meeting between MP Saad Hariri and Gen.

 

Michel Aoun, hailed Moussa”s effort to relaunch dialogue.

 

An Nahar said Arab diplomatic sources expressed fear that the decision to obstruct the presidential election will stay in effect until an Arab League summit scheduled to be hosted by Damascus in March.

 

It quoted the sources as saying Moussa, who left Beirut on Saturday, will return Wednesday “with additional pressure for the implementation of the Arab plan.”

 

Moussa said on Saturday he will make another bid next week to convince rival parties in Lebanon to agree on a compromise that would allow the election of a new president.

 

“My return is planned for next Wednesday,” he said after a four-day visit.

 

“I am coming back because the situation remains dangerous” with the presidency left vacant since November 24, Moussa told reporters at Beirut airport before leaving the country.