PSP Delegation in Ain el-Tineh as March 14 Drafts Initiative on National Dialogue
A delegation from the Progressive Socialist Party and the National Struggle Front that are headed by MP Walid Jumblat will visit Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday to discuss with him the National Dialogue that is set to take place in Baabda next week, An Nahar daily reported.
The newspaper said the delegation’s expected visit to Ain el-Tineh comes against the backdrop of Jumblat’s announcement on Sunday that only dialogue can prevent a spillover of the Syrian crisis into Lebanon.
Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel also said Sunday that his party has agreed to take part in the dialogue to underline that “we will not tolerate the continued presence of illegal arms outside state control.”
Asked by An Nahar about his stance, Berri said: “Sheikh Amin and I are going to Baabda Palace.”
President Michel Suleiman invited Lebanon’s political foes to the all-party talks next Monday in an effort to contain the political and security tension that is threatening to spiral out of control.
The March 8 forces that make up the majority of the government have announced they would attend the talks.
By Monday, only the Phalange party from the opposition March 14 coalition had announced its decision to take part in the dialogue. But An Nahar said that the alliance is drafting an initiative to present it to Suleiman, adding it would make its final stance after hearing the president’s reaction to it.
According to the daily, the initiative hasn’t been finalized over al-Mustaqbal bloc leader Fouad Saniora’s visit to London, where he returned from on Sunday night.
The March 14 forces had said they rejected to participate in a dialogue under the current government, calling for the formation of a neutral salvation cabinet.
But criticism that their abstention could worsen the political and security situation, might push them to change their stance.
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