Interlocutors to Meet in Extra Dialogue Session in September
Speaker Nabih Berri chaired on Thursday the national dialogue's third meeting at Ain el-Tineh that was set to tackle a new electoral system.
Although the session was the last of three successive ones, it was decided that an extra meeting will be held on September 5.
The session convened in the absence of Change and Reform bloc head MP Michel Aoun, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat and Marada chief MP Suleiman Franjieh.
Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan after the meeting ended: “Today's we continued the talks on the implementation of the Taef accord.”
MP Ghazi al-Aridi stated that “the dialogue is not a waste of time. It is a major issue. An alternative is a boycott and vacuum.
“If it was not for the dialogue, the economic, financial and social situations would have been much more difficult than they are now,” he added.
For his part, Kataeb party leader MP Sami Gemayel lashed at the suggestions aiming to create a senate , he said: “Studying the reforms usually happens in the parliament not in any other place. Postponing discussions on a new electoral system until the creation of senate is approved is an extension of the political vacuum.”
Before the meeting starts, al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc head MP Fouad Saniora ruled out that the party has approved a proportional representation electoral system.
The interlocutors kicked off the first of three scheduled meetings on Tuesday to tackle several pending and controversial issues including the election of a president, the formation of a new government and a new voting system.
A second meetings convened on Wednesday focused on the issues of creating a senate and implementing administrative decentralization.
The interlocutors will meet again on September 5 to complete the discussions.
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