Suleiman Says 2nd Round of Dialogue to Focus on Arms

President Michel Suleiman said on Thursday that the Lebanese leaders will tackle the controversial defense strategy, Hizbullah’s arsenal, weapons spread across the country in addition to armed Palestinian bases outside the refugee camps at the second round of the all-party talks.

“We had to set the framework of our agenda at the first session,” Suleiman told As Safir newspaper.

He considered that the first round of the national dialogue was positive, noting that the “frank discussions (between the officials) led us to agree on unexpected articles."

Lebanese leaders agreed during the first round of the all-party talks to hold the second session on June 25 at the Baabda Palace.

Leaders gathered at the Baabda Palace on Monday voiced their support to the Lebanese army and agreed to detach Lebanon from the Syrian crisis and the regional and international conflicts, rejecting the setting up of a buffer zone in northern Lebanon along the border with Syria.

Suleiman lashed back at those who criticized the first round of the national dialogue.

“Some people didn’t read or maybe don’t want to read what the Baabda declaration stated. We didn’t avoid tackling the issue of arms but our agenda was packed,” Suleiman said.

He hailed the March 14 and March 8 officials for finding consensus on preventing the set-up of a buffer zone on the Lebanese-Syrian border in the north.