Westerwelle: National Dialogue Opportunity to Consolidate Unity

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle urged all Lebanese parties on Friday to attend the national dialogue that President Michel Suleiman had called for, describing it a chance to promote consensus.

“The national dialogue in Lebanon is an opportunity to consolidate consensus and national unity,” Westerwelle said following talks with Premier Najib Miqati on the second and last day of his visit to Beirut.

“We urge all sides in Lebanon to make all that is possible to preserve stability and engage in national dialogue,” he said.

The foreign minister lauded the efforts exerted by Suleiman and Miqati and said Germany “was and still is a true partner for Lebanon.”

“We will make everything possible to consolidate stability in Lebanon and the region,” he said.

Suleiman called for the national dialogue after deadly clashes between rival groups in Beirut and the northern city of Tripoli threatened to push Lebanon to the brink of civil war.

The Hizbullah-led March 8 coalition that makes up the majority of the government voiced its support for the dialogue but the March 14 opposition alliance’s stance is not fully clear yet.

While the Lebanese Forces announced it would boycott the all-party talks, the Phalange party said it would attend the dialogue. As for al-Mustaqbal movement, it says it will announce its final stance after delivering a memo to Suleiman on Saturday.

Asked by reporters at the Grand Serail if he feared the violence in Syria would affect Lebanon negatively, Westerwelle said: “We are very worried that the conflict in Syria would have repercussions on Lebanon and would lead to instability.”

The German FM also urged all Lebanese parties not to become part of the Syrian crisis and to safeguard their nation.

Westerwelle held talks with Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and al-Mustaqbal bloc leader Fouad Saniora on Thursday.