March 14 May Boycott National Dialogue if Arms Possession Not Tackled during Monday’s Session

The national dialogue is set to resume on Monday with the defense strategy being the main topic of discussion, reported al-Liwaa newspaper on Saturday.

Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc circles told As Safir newspaper on Saturday that the bloc is seeking to only discuss at the all-party talks the possession of arms outside the authority of the state.

There can be no point for the dialogue if this issue is not address, they added.

Sources from the March 14 General Secretariat added that it does not rule out the possibility of boycotting future national dialogue sessions should the political factions fail to tackle this issue on Monday, reported As Safir.

The head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad told the newspaper: “We are positively approaching the talks in order to tackle issues of contention and implement past agreements.”

“The situation in Lebanon may impose itself at the talks given the tensions in some areas,” he added.

“Discussing priorities should not contradict with our complete openness to tackle the defense strategy,” he continued.

“We hope that the other camp would positively approach the talks in order to enable us to reach agreements that serve the country,” said the Hizbullah MP.

President Michel Suleiman has completed his consultations with various political powers in preparation for the national dialogue, which will be held at the Baabda Palace.

The talks on the defense strategy include discussions on the resistance’s arms, those of Palestinians inside and outside refugee camps, and possession of arms among the Lebanese.

An agreement on Palestinian arms was reached during the March 2006 dialogue session, but it has not been implemented.

Sources told Al-Liwaa that “it does not matter which issue is addressed first seeing as the security chaos on the ground will likely impose itself as the main topic of discussion.”

The head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea will again boycott Monday’s session as he had labeled the talks as a “distraction.”

Meanwhile, the head of the Phalange Party Amin Gemayel hosted on Friday a luncheon banquet that included the head of the Mustaqbal bloc MP Fouad Saniora, deputy Speaker Farid Makari, MPs Butros Harb, Georges Adwan, Dory Shamoun, Michel Pharaon, Samir Gemayel, and the head of the National Bloc Carlos Edde, with the talks focusing on the national dialogue, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.

Sources from the talks told the daily that the gatherers expect the dialogue to strictly address the possession of arms in Lebanon from now.

They agreed that Hizbullah’s arms “serve Iran and they should therefore be confronted,” warning that the party will get involved in a possible war between the Islamic Republic and Israel.

They stressed the importance of implementing the agreements of the previous dialogue sessions, emphasizing the need for the formation of a national salvation government that could protect Lebanon given the tensions in the country and the region, reported An Nahar.