Berri, Hariri Committed to Hizbullah-Mustaqbal Dialogue

Speaker Nabih Berri and al-Mustaqbal chief Saad Hariri have stressed their commitment to the dialogue between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal movement, informed sources said Wednesday.

Berri and Hariri held a meeting in Ain el-Tineh on Monday. But the sources spoke to several dailies published on Wednesday, saying they agreed not to stop the Hizbullah-Mustaqbal dialogue despite growing tension as a result of Saudi pressure.

Saudi Arabia began piling pressure on Lebanon last month after it halted deals worth $4 billion aimed at equipping and supporting the Lebanese army and security forces, and told its citizens to leave the country.

Its decision came after Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, an ally of the Iranian-backed Hizbullah, declined to support Saudi resolutions against Iran during two recent meetings of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers.

The Saudi move, which was followed by travel warnings issued by several Gulf states, led to further tension between the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance and the March 14 camp that is led by Hariri.

The dialogue session that was held in Ain el-Tineh last Wednesday was not attended by the usual participants.

It was limited to the adviser of Hizbullah chief, Hussein Khalil, Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, who is from Berri’s Amal movement and, Nader Hariri, the adviser of the Mustaqbal leader.

According to the sources, Berri and Hariri agreed for the next session to be held on March 16.

They said the speaker stressed that the “alternative” to the dialogue is the “street.”

“No one wants that,” the sources quoted him as saying.

G.K.

D.A.