Lebanese opposition to attend National Dialogue

Lebanon’s opposition will take part in the Aug. 16 National Dialogue session called for by President Michel Sleiman, a Future Movement source told The Daily Star Wednesday. Another Future Movement source, one close to former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, said the Future parliamentary bloc leader had informed Sleiman of the opposition’s decision during a one-hour meeting at Baabda Palace. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the move came as a result of the Cabinet meeting one of the March 14 coalition’s conditions, namely that Telecommunications Ministry release telecoms data to security agencies. The agencies are investigating assassination attempts against Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea and Batroun MP Butros Harb. The source also said recent statements by Sleiman had contributed to the opposition suspending its boycott of the all-party talks. “We appreciate the efforts of President Michel Sleiman in his recent statements marking Army Day that the Lebanese state should extend its authority all over Lebanese territories,” the source said. Siniora and Siniora discussed the issue of March 14’s participation in the National Dialogue at the Presidential Palace between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. No official statement was issued following the meeting. Baabda Palace sources told The Daily Star that a statement is expected to come out later Wednesday regarding March 14's participation. As in a recent session, the Lebanese Forces, a component of the March 14 movement, will not be taking part in the all-party talks. “The Lebanese Forces will continue its boycott of the Dialogue,” an LF source told The Daily Star, adding that the decision had been made in coordination with Siniora. “We will not take part because we do not believe that Hezbollah will give up its arms,” the source said. The coalition insists that the Dialogue focus on discussion of a national defense strategy to defend Lebanon against foreign aggression. Hezbollah maintains that its weapons should remain an integral part of any defense strategy and has repeatedly said it is not willing to surrender its arsenal. Sleiman initiated the talks with the aim of defusing political tension between the country’s rival camps. In a statement released by his press office Tuesday, Sleiman stressed the need for intra-Lebanese dialogue in which a defense strategy would be the main topic of discussion. He said the presidential palace was “the place to discuss all proposals and express ideas and suggestions, while keeping in mind that the main topic is a national defense strategy, according to the original invitation for dialogue.” Besides discussing Hezbollah’s weapons, March 14 had also demanded that the resistance group lift its protection of those suspected of participating in attempted assassinations. In a speech earlier this month, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah said a genuine and realistic national defense strategy must be based on coordination between the Lebanese Army and the resistance. He added that in addition to a national defense strategy, Lebanon needed a “national liberation strategy” in order to liberate the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, Kfar Shuba Hills, and the Lebanese part of the border town of Al-Ghajar. Nasrallah also expressed his belief that the March 14 coalition is not interested in discussing a defense strategy, but only in having Hezbollah surrender its arms. From DailyStar