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Berri: Chances are High for a Successful Dialogue between al-Mustaqbal and Hizbullah

Speaker Nabih Berri stated on Saturday that chances are high for dialogue to yield well between al-Mustaqbal movement and Hizbullah, the As Safir daily reported on Saturday.

Berri described the dialogue-encouraging stance of al-Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri as “good”, saying: “Hariri's stance reiterates what I announced later on the necessity to keep the agenda of talks away from the issue of the Resistance's arms and the Syrian file, for difficulty of reaching an agreement on those two.”

He pointed “the ideas suggested by Hariri regarding the dialogue are realistic mainly what touched on the need to contain sedition, which is exactly what Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah wants.

“Besides, the issue of security in the area of Bekaa and reaching an agreement on a consensual president without discussing names of candidates,” are further ideas propsed for discussion.

Hariri announced on Thursday that he is seeking a “serious dialogue” with Hizbullah “for the sake of the country,” as he stressed the need to elect a “consensual president.”

Lebanon has been left without a president since May when the term of President Michel Suleiman ended. The parliament has so far failed to elect a successor over divisions between the rival March 8 and March 14 alliances.

The Speaker will set the time for the proposed dialogue as soon as he receives an official suggestion on the meeting agenda from al-Mustaqbal and Hizbullah.

Berri also suggested to host the first meeting at his Ain el-Tineh residence with a joint sponsorship with MP Walid Jumblat. But he said that he is pushing for the two sides to meet alone and that he is ready to intervene if requested.

If a meeting was to take place, it would be between the political aide to Hizbullah secretary general Hussein Khalil, the adviser of al-Mustaqbal movement leader, Nader al-Hariri and MP Jamal al-Jarrah representing head of al-Mustaqbal bloc Fouad Saniora.


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