Lebanese Foes Optimistic ahead of Crunch Talks Seeking Consensus
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The Lebanese foes seeking an accord at a new national dialogue session expressed optimism on Monday as they voiced hope that the all-party talks would have a positive impact on the country, local newspapers reported.
Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel told As Safir newspaper that he will be open to all suggestions during session at the Baabda Palace, noting that the Lebanese leaders should be ready to resolve all the crises Lebanon is suffering from.
“If the circumstances weren’t suitable to resolve the sharp differences, at least we can agree on other issues linked to the citizens’ daily lives to achieve the minimum amount of stability,” Gemayel told the daily.
He pointed out that he will address the defense strategy, saying he has a new approach to resolve the arms of Hizbullah.
“We have a new approach that we will discuss at the national dialogue,” Gemayel said.
Al-Mustaqbal bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora told As Safir that he will attend the all-party talks with a positive attitude.
He stressed on the necessity of discussing the weapons of Hizbullah, warning that arms are spreading locally.
“We have to implement what we have previously agreed on during the past national dialogue sessions,” Saniora stated.
For his part, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat expressed relief over the resumption of the all-party talks as there is no “alternative” even if there are sharp differences among officials.
“We should at least organize these differences if we can’t resolve them in the meantime,” Jumblat said.
Concerning Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea’s refusal to attend the session, he stressed that boycotting it is “useless.”
“The country needs to disassociate itself from any crises that are threatening its stability,” the Druze leader said.
Head of Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad told As Safir that “Hizbullah’s participation in the national dialogue is an attempt by the party to bridge the gap” between the Lebanese foes.
“We are open to all kinds of discussions but priority is to the key issues that are threatening the country’s stability,” the MP said.
However, he noted that disarming the resistance only serves foreign agendas.
11 June 2012, 10:25
32
Arming the resistance serves foreign agendas, in particular the Iranian, Syrian and Israeli agendas
11 June 2012, 11:10
13
Who doesn't belong to a foreign influence or agenda in Lebanon. Why is one better than the others.
11 June 2012, 15:57
30
One has weapons...one is allied to fanatics, one threatens from the inside, one seeks to implement others foreign agenda, one has a culture of violence, assassinations, threats, murder, human sacrifice, ...
We do not want a foreign influence in Lebanon, but m14 cannot sit and watch forever this country being at the mercy of Iran and Syria.
The saudis or the EU have no claim here, unlike the Iranis who say that their "border stops at South Lebanon", or the Syrian who won't let us go...come in and out, abduct, murder, shell...
It's not quite the same in my humble opinion...
11 June 2012, 11:46
11
Is Harriri attending? If Nisrallah was going to the meeting, I think no one will show up. lol That makes all of them cowards.
11 June 2012, 15:51
10
This news is good news. All our elected politicians know that we won't vote for any who will utter chaos or back off from peace. Lebanese deep, down don't care of this political soap opera, drama as if this cannot be fixed.
Look at Syrians, it's as if up nothing can be solved without weapons and mass death. We've reached a more aware state. We, Lebanese will live all of us together. We're too busy living life.
11 June 2012, 17:46
01
This is all such a mirage. It is all pretend and its sole redeeming feature is that it fosters a false sense among the people that the government really is in charge without addressing the hard cold fact that the government is not in charge. This is opium used to treat the cancer patient when what is needed is to treat the cancer.
11 June 2012, 18:13
10
Akh ya beiruti ya 7akeem akh! Lek hizb weapons have never been an issue and will never be. It was a fantasy of your stripteaser who is now hiding God knows where.
We need to focus on the real issues at hand and save our country! All together :)
11 June 2012, 18:23
00
"Lek hizb weapons have never been an issue and will never be."
LOL if so, they would have handed them to the army long ago... and obey the only state institution which has the right of declaring war or peace...you deny the army the right to be the sole armed institution proving you do not believe in the state of lebanon but in a party! it proves that you have nothing to do with the state of lebanon and are anti patriotic...
you d better shut up instead of saying BS as usual, little retarded
11 June 2012, 21:25
01
@reformist, Hezbollah's weapons are THE issue. Their presence, and use at the command of Iran is what is more than anything else retarding the growth of the Lebanese State. Political parties should compete with each other on a level playing field of ideas competing with each other among a national constituency.
However, when one side's idea has the force of arms behind it, this upsets the natural balance that can be restored only if everyone is armed, which leads to a state of barbarity, or if no one is armed, which leads to a civilized state.
Hezbollah finds itself in a conundrum. It needs a strong state to secure its armed presence, but its armed presence makes for a weak state.
