Mustaqbal, Hizbullah Begin Discussions on 'National Anti-Terror Strategy'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Al-Mustaqbal movement and Hizbullah announced Wednesday after their sixth dialogue session that they explored means to find a “national anti-terror strategy,” amid a continued dispute between them over the state's role in such a plan of action.
The conferees “discussed the mutual calls for finding a national anti-terror strategy and the debate was launched over its mechanisms,” the two parties said in a joint statement.
The dialogue session comes in the wake of al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri's return to Beirut to take part in a rally commemorating the tenth anniversary of the assassination of his father, former premier Rafik Hariri.
Although Hariri delivered a sharp-toned speech on the occasion, he affirmed that dialogue with Hizbullah will continue in order to “protect Lebanon.”
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah for his part stressed commitment to dialogue during a speech on Monday, endorsing Hariri's call for devising an anti-terror strategy.
Nasrallah, however, responded to Hariri's demand that Hizbullah withdraw its fighters from Syria by calling on all Lebanese to “go together to Syria and Iraq” to combat “the threat of terrorism.”
In an interview on Future TV, Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq said discussions over the sought strategy consumed three hours of the sixth dialogue session.
“It is necessary to find a national anti-terror strategy under the sponsorship of the state, and we must exert efforts to combat terrorism on the basis of national consensus, away from some parties' regional alliances and commitments,” Mashnouq, who took part in the session, told the TV network.
Meanwhile, the joint statement said the two parties “positively evaluated the Bekaa's security plan and the steps that occurred to remove flags and pictures from various regions.”
The conferees also called on the political forces and leaders to contribute to the efforts aimed at curbing celebratory gunfire “during all occasions.”
Dialogue between the two parties had kicked off on December 23, 2014.
In previous sessions, the conferees agreed to remove political flags and banners from the streets to “defuse sectarian tensions,” speaking of “clear progress that might contribute to consolidating national stability.”
Y.R.
18 February 2015, 23:08
22
Anti-terror strategy? Does that mean they are demanding nasrallah and all his thugs be thrown in prison and punished for their terroristic crimes against the Lebanese Syrian Iraqi Bahrain Yemen Argentina Cyprus Bulgaria and all the others?
18 February 2015, 23:26
22
It's Iranian delay tactics. They are wasting time hoping for a successful war in Syria. When that is done they'll blow this whole thing out of the water. I'm surprised m14 have been on this road so many times with same results.
I hope they didn't send any delegation with an intelligent person. The last thing they need is Hizbullah thinking of him as a threat and killing him with a car bomb later on.
19 February 2015, 00:26
21
How can Hezbollah and Mustaqbal even talk about anti-terrorism when these two parties are responsible for all the terrorism in Lebanon. Whether it's Hezbollah's illegal weapons and militia, or Sunni jihadists, the Sunnis and Shi3a are the two sects that are currently participating/supporting terrorism. And where are the Christians in all this? Why don't the Christians unite against terrorism? Why is Aoun supporting terrorists? Why is Geagea sitting back? Why has the entire country become lawless, be in it Dahye, Beqaa, Tripoli, Saida... The reason why terrorism is prevailing is because the Christians are still divided, and they're divided because the two leaders hold grudges against each other from events that happened 25 years ago... This country will continue to suffer as long as the Christians fail to unite...
19 February 2015, 01:04
20
What you said isn't wrong. The people can unite behind a new leader. But the problem is they're brainwashed by these old leaders. The guys in power right now are responsible for the division. The Christian people cannot agree on a strategy because they're supporting these two leaders who have different agendas.
19 February 2015, 07:49
12
A "National Anti-Terror Strategy" is something that should be discussed officially within the government and not just between 2 parties. What have they done with the rest of the country?
19 February 2015, 12:51
10
At long last, people are beginning to use their brains instead of their tongues. Dialog and close cooperation are the only solution and in truth the only prerequisite for us to move forward. However we must now have a new president and also discuss a clear agenda with Hezbollah's disarmament lapsed over a period of at least 3 to 5 years leaving only the Lebanese State and its constitutional institutions responsible for all decisions of war and peace, anything short of that will remain a sheer waste of time. Now Messrs Geagea and Aoun, will you do us the pleasure of emulating our Muslim siblings, remember, Lebanon comes first and foremost.
