The March 14 opposition is set to take an “important” stance from the national dialogue that is set to be held at Baabda Palace next Wednesday, its third session since it resumed last month following a 19-month standstill, An Nahar daily reported.

The sources told the newspaper on Wednesday that the alliance can’t ignore the assassination attempts against Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and MP Butros Harb, and reports about plots on other March 14 personalities.

Head of Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc MP Mohammed Raad said on Saturday that the sharp differences with the Free Patriotic Movement will not lead to a rift between the allies, stressing that those who are staking on the collapse of agreements and allies will be disappointed.

“As long as there is a strategic understanding, no one will be able to create a rift,” Raad said.

March 14 opposition sources expected the country’s top leaders to “buy time” during a national dialogue session on Monday as the coalition seeks to integrate Hizbullah’s arms into the Lebanese army.

The sources told An Nahar daily that the leaders who met at Baabda palace under President Michel Suleiman are not expected to achieve tangible results.

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.

President Michel Suleiman is expected to travel to France at the end of June or in early July to hold talks with his French counterpart Francois Hollande, reported the daily An Nahar on Thursday.

It said that the visit will serve as an opportunity for the president to mark a new beginning of Lebanese-French ties, which was suggested by Hollande himself.

Head of Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc MP Mohammed Raad said on Sunday that Hizbullah hopes dialogue will lead to “a methodology that guides Lebanese towards the state principle”, pointing out that rational solutions are “necessary to preserve the security of the North.”

During a memorial ceremony in the southern town of Kafra, Raad said that “dialogue is a permanent necessity because it fortifies Lebanon, and contributes to finding appropriate solutions to the crises that beset our country.”

Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad and al-Mustaqbal bloc leader Fouad Saniora exchanged accusations on the spread and smuggling of arms during the national dialogue session held at Baabda palace on Monday, media reports said.

In his statement, Saniora blamed Hizbullah’s arsenal for the spread of arms in Lebanese cities and towns. “The resistance’s arms led to the proliferation of other weapons,” he said during the four-hour meeting that was chaired by President Michel Suleiman.

The Lebanese foes seeking an accord at a new national dialogue session expressed optimism on Monday as they voiced hope that the all-party talks would have a positive impact on the country, local newspapers reported.

Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel told As Safir newspaper that he will be open to all suggestions during session at the Baabda Palace, noting that the Lebanese leaders should be ready to resolve all the crises Lebanon is suffering from.

Turkish authorities have informed Speaker Nabih Berri, Premier Najib Miqati and Hizbullah that Ankara will exert every effort to resolve the case of 11 Shiite pilgrims, who were kidnapped in Syria last week.

The information was relayed to the officials by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu through ambassador to Lebanon Inan Ozyildiz on Tuesday.

The parliamentary majority intends to demand a probe into the “financial scandals” allegedly committed by previous governments, in a bid to hit back at the opposition’s call for a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the issue of power-generating vessels, al-Manar television reported on Wednesday.

Al-Manar said a meeting was held between Speaker Nabih Berri and MPs Mohammed Raad, Ibrahim Kanaan and Ayyoub Hmayyed, during which they discussed the opposition’s call for a commission of inquiry.