Plumbly: national dialogue should tackle ‘illegal arms’

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly stressed on Sunday the importance of having the issue of “illegal arms” on the agenda of the National Dialogue that President Michel Suleiman has called for. In an interview with Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5), Plumbly said the illegal weapons create alarm. The issue must be addressed from the perspective of safeguarding the wellbeing and safety of the Lebanese society as a whole, he added. Suleiman called on Thursday for the resumption of the all-party talks in June to defuse mounting tension after deadly gunbattles raged between pro- and anti-Syrian regime supporters in Beirut and the northern city of Tripoli. Plumbly lauded the Lebanese army and security forces for carrying out a remarkable mission during the unrest but expressed regret at the killing of Sunni Sheikh Ahmed Abdul Wahed at an army checkpoint in the Akkar town of al-Kweikhat. He stressed the importance of carrying out the investigation to reveal the truth in his killing. The U.N. diplomat also hailed Lebanese authorities for adopting a “wise” policy of steering the country clear of the developments in Syria, saying the problems of neighboring countries shouldn’t be imported to Lebanon. Asked about demands by the March 14 opposition for the resignation of the government, Plumbly expressed fear on the vacuum that the cabinet’s collapse could create. But the diplomat stressed the importance of holding the parliamentary elections on time next year.