National Dialogue Rejects Buffer Zone with Syria, Urges Citizens against Turning to Arms to End Disputes

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
  • W460
  • W460
  • W460
  • W460
  • W460
  • W460

The national dialogue resumed its sessions on Monday “amid positive talks” with gatherers agreeing on committing to international resolutions and controlling Lebanon’s border.

The concluding statement said: “We reject the formation of a buffer zone with Syria and the use of Lebanon as an open ground for smuggling arms to Syria.”

Furthermore, it highlighted the need to keep Lebanon away from regional and international disputes, “in order to maintain its national unity and civil peace.”

On local developments, the statement urged citizens against resorting to arms to end disputes, instead calling on them to turn to legal and state institutions.

Despite the positive atmosphere that pervaded the Baabda Palace talks, a disagreement emerged between the March 14 factions and the March 8-dominated government forces at the meeting, reported LBC.

Only sixteen leaders attended the session after Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea said the LF will boycott the dialogue for being useless.

Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-Premier Saad Hariri was also absent for being abroad. Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi did not attend for health reasons.

Another major absentee is veteran journalist Ghassan Tueni who died on Friday. Tueni, who had dubbed the all-party talks the national dialogue committee, represented the Greek Orthodox sect in former sessions.

The gatherers renewed their “trust in Lebanon as the center for mutual coexistence, stressing the need to commit to the principles that were stipulated in the constitution that will serve as the foundations for the country.”

They also voiced their commitment to the Taef accord “with any suggestion to develop or modify any of its articles be taken through consensus and in accordance with constitutional mechanisms.”

In light of the recent unrest in Lebanon, the gatherers called on “citizens to be aware that resorting to violence and weapons will inevitably lead to losses to all concerned sides and affect generations to come.”

They stressed the need to establish stability in Lebanon “in order to avert strife.”

This issue will be studied further in order to reach political methods to achieve this goal, added the statement.

An agreement was reached to resort to dialogue and calm political and media rhetoric in order to ease the tensions in Lebanon “in a manner that would achieve national unity and fortify Lebanon against external dangers, especially Israel.”

“This will positively affect the public opinion and economic, tourist, and social sectors,” continued the final statement.

Moreover, the gatherers agreed on bolstering state institutions “and the mentality of turning to the law and legitimate institutions to resolve any dispute.”

They stressed the need to support the army “on the moral and financial levels seeing as it is the main factor in maintaining peace and national unity.”

They agreed to continue on studying the necessary mechanisms to implement the decisions of previous dialogue sessions.

“The national dialogue concluding statement will serve as a declaration that all sides will commit to and a copy of it will be handed to the Arab League and United Nations,” said the statement.

The last dialogue session was held 19 months ago and the next session will be held on June 25 at the Baabda Palace.

At the start of Monday’s national dialogue session, President Michel Suleiman urged the sixteen Lebanese leaders at the talks to assume their national responsibilities and discuss controversial issues by toning down the political rhetoric.

The sixth session under Suleiman since his election in 2008 comes amid fears that tension in northern Lebanon and gunfights between armed groups will push the country to the brink of civil war.

Suleiman said in his invitation that the March 8 majority and March 14 opposition leaders will discuss the defense strategy and how to benefit from Hizbullah’s arms, ways to disarm Palestinians bases outside the refugee camps and resolve the proliferation of weapons in Lebanese cities.

“We have a national responsibility. We don’t mind to agree and discuss all (controversial) topics but that should be accompanied by a toned down political rhetoric and limited tension on the streets ahead of the tourism season,” the president said in his opening remarks.

“We should hold discussions with open spirits to reach solutions because the Lebanese are pinning high hopes on this meeting,” he said, calling for holding consecutive sessions at a fast rate.

Suleiman also stressed the positivity of the previous dialogue and the prospects of the next stage.

The meeting was preceded by closed-door talks between Suleiman and Premier Najib Miqati and later between the president and Speaker Nabih Berri.

The March 14 forces handed Suleiman a “salvation memo” on Saturday, reiterating their call for the formation of a neutral cabinet and addressing non-state arms.

An Nahar daily quoted sources as saying that the president “took notice” of the memo but it is not likely to be placed on the agenda of the dialogue which requires consensus among the committee members.

In his statement, Miqati vowed that his cabinet will implement the decisions reached by the conferees.

Comments 43
Default-user-icon Ronaldo (Guest) 11 June 2012, 08:34

M14 and M8 should out ther shit aside and work hard for the sake of Lebanon .I think all Lebanese have had enough of this shit lets save our country and people .

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 11:09

yalla good luck!

Thumb shab 11 June 2012, 11:32

Also missing is the bearded lady in brown gown, attending the underworld ciccua.

Thumb geha 11 June 2012, 11:46

the homicidal maniacs are those m8 thugs as demonstrated yesterday by the beating of a woman in public.
it is clear m8 is a bunch of arrogant thugs as demonstrated by karim, ft, and others like them...
all the comments of karim denote a low life thug, while Ft is a clear nazi wanting to kill or burn everyone who does not agree with his line of thought.
such animals belong in an asylum or in jail fr life.

Thumb lebnanfirst 11 June 2012, 16:41

Life you say? What life FT, you live all over on this Naharnet board and you claim to have a life to attend to?! Get a grip and a life.

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 16:45

Bravo gena 3an jadd bhannik. Jugements de valeur sans aucun contenu :) Sad indeed!
I love how Ba3ba3 boycotts the only opportunity for us to progress hek la anno he would HATE to see results out of it. ka anno 3eyzeeno ne7na 3al tawle yeuhhh yeuuuh yeuuuuuuuuuuuh hahahah
yalla am sure something positive will come out of it :)

Thumb joesikemrex 13 June 2012, 04:32

Hizb propaganda employees

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 16:58

lebnanfirst we need to entertain the slash this is why FT and myself are here. wa7ad menna ma bi adde add manno hilarious el slash. yalla count to 3 and bi sebbele emme now or he dreams of being with her ;) chouflak malla level of education! It's too amusing not to be attended to ;)

Missing lebcan 12 June 2012, 01:09

We DONT believe you FT... we have been reading your comments for a long time and you are consistent...

Thumb geha 11 June 2012, 11:47

therefore there is nothing to be expected from this dialogue meeting: sitting with thugs will definately not be fruitfull.

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 16:45

bravo geha! Tolerant and open minded! Exactly like we always imagined you!

Missing lebcan 12 June 2012, 01:12

Hizbshitan is only to be believed from its past actions (and present and future) ... Not its words or statements... they normally contradict the facts on the streets...

Thumb joesikemrex 13 June 2012, 04:33

just a maneuver of time to achieve total domination, nothing beneficial will come out.

Missing peace 11 June 2012, 12:27

a dialogue should be open to all subjects that are controversial between two parties in order to solve them. the fact that M8 doesn t want to tackle the issue of weapons clearly shows that they do not want a real dialogue but rather to impose their vision!
this dialogue is then a waste of time...

Missing mustapha_ghalayini@yahoo.com 11 June 2012, 13:26

hizballah returned to dialogue table becose assad is being weakened to say the least, and when the americans and the russians find a way to send bashar to his last trip..things will be a lot better

Default-user-icon ayad (Guest) 11 June 2012, 14:40

can we just get alone

Thumb beiruti 11 June 2012, 15:21

These guys can sit and discuss and agree about what ever they want to agree upon. But at the end of the day, the guy with the gun makes the rules and washes out all that these guys have to say, unless the ones with the guns agree. So the consensus to action is a consensus built around the gun, not around the law, the constitution, Lebanon or the Lebanese people.

As Geagea said: A useless exercise, well, worse than useless since it makes more legitmate that which is not legitimate at all... Hezbollah's armed presence in Lebanon.

Thumb beiruti 11 June 2012, 15:24

There is no decision in the hand of anyone sitting around the table in Baabda. What can they decide at Baabda that Nasrallah, in consultation with Khamenie, cannot unilaterally veto with his arms? Nothing.

Missing lebcan 12 June 2012, 01:14

Absolutely correct!!!

Missing peace 11 June 2012, 16:13

correct: imagine the majority says that hezbi arms are illegal and must be handed to the state: what would hezbi do? nothing and take the streets in protest and kill people...
meaning this dialogue is useless...

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 16:46

Love the shortcut peace! lek bteshbah kel chi inta ella your name!
Forget the hezb weapons they are no threat they have never been!

Missing peace 11 June 2012, 18:16

lol

Missing lebcan 12 June 2012, 01:15

LooooooL!!!

Missing lebcan 12 June 2012, 01:15

Not a threat to you!!! only AH!!!

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 16:53

Ana b7ebb aktar chi when slash bi jewib 'i was entertaining your mum' HAHAHAHAH such wishful thinking. Iza hek kamena your political views based on dreams, ktiiiiiiiiiiir ra7 net'addamm kiddo
HAHAHAH you are just shooting yourself in the foot, no no no in the brain. oops actually you have no brain and your silliest childish insults show it ;) Get a life kiddo and watch the outcome of the dialogue you might be surprised!

Thumb lebnanfirst 11 June 2012, 18:52

@reformist: ya3ni you really told Slash off and showed all the level of maturity we should aspire to!
Your comments speak volumes about your maturity level. L baytou min azaz ma bi rashi2 al nas bil hjar, ma heyk ya mature ya inta.

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 19:07

lebnanfirst give facts and stop judging! I see zero value in your comment. Next?

Missing peace 11 June 2012, 20:03

"I see zero value in your comment. Next?" = normal for that you d need a brain....

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 22:57

peace adrab men as7abak inta! Try and create value my son then we can have a decent conversation

Missing peace 12 June 2012, 00:36

"Try and create value my son then we can have a decent conversation"

what is your value apart from mocking everyone and never commenting things or give your analysis...? NONE so refrain from asking from others what you re incapable of doing, little baby boy

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 16:54

lek kello scenarios bi raso la hal ahbal slash li ahlo ma rabbou, sadly... :( halla' bi jiblak chi msabbe or 2, no better he will IMAGINE himself with your mum hahahahaah
cha'fit milichyewe bala education la aktar wala a'all ;)

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 16:56

waw very deep frustration slash as usual! Fidele a toi meme petit enfant ;)
we all know the threat on him because he is a real hero. What about your leader? wen mkhabba? ;)

Missing helicopter 11 June 2012, 17:04

mowaten of ?? (nationality unknown), the points in the article mostly sounded positive and in the interest of Lebanon. I wish M8 followed the same when M14 had the Government instead of occupying downtown and resorting to assassinations.

Default-user-icon Skyfall (Guest) 11 June 2012, 18:45

@ Flamethrower, i agree with you the meeting should be covered live, because im sure all they did was a conversation " mafia style" , u take this region, i take this one, no one deals here blabla. It is obvious because they came out with the same statements they always make : preserve lebanon stability blablablaa.... ahhh, and to say people killl each other under orders from those thugs... After the meeting they surely all went to the presidential palace, have a amazing dinner, a good shisha, laugh about us and continue their dominion.

Thumb extramildcake 11 June 2012, 21:09

Imagine the building they were in just collapsed for some reason and they all died. Would be better off, the same, or worse?

Missing reformist 11 June 2012, 22:57

The same... Their sons would come in :)

Default-user-icon gmoney (Guest) 11 June 2012, 21:50

Can you guys please each give us how old you are? I would be surprised if any one of you is over the age of 16....

Default-user-icon Truth (Guest) 11 June 2012, 23:05

The only guys who could, actually who have, turned their arms to the interior are the Hizbollah thugs !

Thumb beiruti 11 June 2012, 23:25

Oh such decisions. They are all for motherhood and apple pie. Such principles, I hope that they can all keep their words and abide by them.

Missing damascus 12 June 2012, 07:52

These talks in Lebanon will be worthless once we get rid of Assad and his cronies in Syria because Hezbilshaitan and Claoun won't have anyone to lean on for political leverage. Damascus is the grave of the Iranian project in the Levant.

Thumb liefighter 12 June 2012, 13:48

Mr Lamowaten, are you happy with the terror HA and Syria are imposing to leb, I think you are the only 1 abroad of your mind and useless

Thumb liefighter 13 June 2012, 18:28

We can communicate, but only the people speaking Farsi like your commander has a problem

Default-user-icon sweessemarm (Guest) 08 September 2012, 02:54

Keeping emphasis can even be a hardship on older people along with attention write this book and really did a great job [url=http://adhdhub.info]http://adderallsideeffects.info[/url]