Qaouq Welcomes Hizbullah-Mustaqbal Dialogue, Says it Averts Strife

Deputy head of Hizbullah's Executive Council Sheikh Nabil Qaouq stressed that Hizbullah is going ahead with internal talks in Lebanon “out of its keenness on national interests,” reported the National News Agency on Sunday.

He said in reference to the expected dialogue between Hizbullah and the Mustaqbal Movement: “Dialogue will help avert strife.”

“The simple announcement of the Hizbullah-Mustaqbal dialogue paved the way for calm throughout the nation,” he declared.

Qaouq added: “It was a message to internal and foreign powers that Lebanon is recuperating from sectarian tensions that are raging in the region.”

Earlier, an MP from the March 14 alliance expressed pessimism over the possibility of political factions in resolving pending disputes, saying that the Mustaqbal-Hizbullah dialogue will only lead to easing political tensions, reported the Kuwaiti daily al-Anba on Sunday.

The Christian MP, who was not named, told the daily: “The dialogue between the two sides will divert attention from the main political powers' inability to reach consensus over a new parliamentary electoral law.”

“The dialogue will be useful given the local tensions and the unrest in Syria and Iraq. The talks will have very positive repercussions on Lebanon,” he remarked.

He added that the March 8 alliance of Hizbullah would be keen for the “photo opportunity” with the Mustaqbal Movement, while the movement would demand that the dialogue focus on a new electoral law, the election of a president, and the arms of the resistance brigades, which is affiliated with the party.

The differences in view over the expectations of the talks reflects the gap between Hizbullah and Mustaqbal, noted the lawmaker to al-Anba.

He meanwhile reiterated the stances of various officials that an agreement over an electoral law will not be reached any time soon, predicting that the vacuum in the presidency may last until mid 2015.

Ultimately, he said that progress in resolving any of the pending issues hinges on the negotiations between the United States and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.

A date for the Mustaqbal-Hizbullah dialogue has not been set yet as efforts are still underway to organize the meeting, its agenda, and who will be in attendance.

M.T.