Suleiman: I Do Not Understand Link between Boycotting Dialogue and Demand to Topple Govt.

President Michel Suleiman criticized on Tuesday the boycott of the national dialogue, hoping that all political powers would attend the session set for January 7.

Suleiman said: “I do not understand the link between boycotting dialogue and the demand to topple the government.”

He made his remarks after holding a closed-door meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki ahead of Christmas mass.

He noted that the dialogue had made achievements in the past, the last of which was the announcement of the Baabda Declaration in June.

“If the factions have demands, then they should make them that at the national dialogue,” Suleiman stressed.

The March 14-led opposition had announced its boycott of government-related activity, including the national dialogue, in light of the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan on October 19.

It accused Syria of being behind the crime and blamed the government of covering up for the criminals, demanding its resignation as a condition to ending its boycott.

“I urge the parties to return to dialogue and if they refuse, then they should offer alternatives,” suggested Suleiman.

“As far as I know, no one wants to eliminate the dialogue, but the boycott is creating instability,” he added.

Addressing the threats by families of the kidnapped Lebanese pilgrims in Syria to target Turkish interests in Lebanon, the president replied: “A ministerial committee has been formed to tackle the case of the kidnapped pilgrims and the security agencies are also following up on the issue.”

“Turkish interests should not be targeted because they are not the kidnappers. We urge Turkey to exert more efforts to ensure the pilgrims' release,” he declared.

The families threatened on Monday to escalate their actions in protest against official negligence to resolve the case of their loved ones, threatening to target Turkish interests in Lebanon.

They hold Turkey responsible for the fate of the pilgrims seeing as they are being held in Aazaz, a Syrian region close to the Turkish border.

Eleven pilgrims were kidnapped in Syria's Aleppo province in May as they were making their way back to Lebanon by land from pilgrimage in Iran.

Two of the captives have since been released, while nine remain in Syria.

On discussions to reach a new parliamentary electoral law, Suleiman said: “The 1960s law produced the current parliament and the elections should be held even if an agreement over a new one is not reached.”

He highlighted the importance of the rotation of power in Lebanon and the need for efforts to be exerted in Lebanon in order to reach an agreement over a new law.

“The constitution stresses the importance of holding the parliamentary elections on time and according to a new law,” he said.

“The rotation of power is better than the lack of it should a new law fail to be approved,” Suleiman remarked.