National Dialogue Session Set for March 31 to Discuss Defense Strategy

The presidency issued on Friday invitations to the concerned political parties to resume the national dialogue on March 31.

It said in a statement that the session will resume discussions on a national defense strategy.

The invitations were sent in light of parliament granting the new government its vote of confidence on Thursday.

President Michel Suleiman issued the invitations “given the critical developments in the region and their impact on Lebanon and the belief that there can be no substitute for dialogue, which will address the manner in which to confront the dangers facing the country.”

The defense strategy should serve to confront the Israeli threat, terrorism, and the spread of arms among the people, he added.

The national dialogue session will be held at 11:00 am at the Baabda Palace on March 31.

The last session was held on September 20, 2012.

Former Minister Nazem al-Khoury, who is one of the president's advisers, had told An Nahar daily on Friday that “all parties have the intention to participate in dialogue and have never announced their rejection to it.”

Suleiman is a man of dialogue, he said.

The president “started his tenure with dialogue and is keen on ending it with dialogue too,” al-Khoury told An Nahar.

“He has found a methodology to follow up the talks in a systematic and organized manner,” he said.