Suleiman to Address National Defense Strategy at All-Party Talks on Thursday
President Michel Suleiman is expected to tackle the national defense strategy at a national dialogue session on Thursday, media reports said.
Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Monday that Suleiman will discuss with Lebanese foes the matter after conferees at the last national dialogue session, held at Beiteddine palace on August 16, decided to postpone discussing it due to the absence of several members, in particular, Speaker Nabih Berri.
The daily said that the March 14 alliance will settle in the coming days its participation in the all-party talks.
Sources close to Berri confirmed on Sunday night that he will attend the session after lashing out at the March 14 leadership by saying that the dialogue can’t remain the “prisoner of the alliances'’ mood.”
The last session was also held in the absence of Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, who is another major figure in the March 8 coalition, following days of speculation on the stance of the March 14 opposition alliance ended with a decision to attend.
A session on July 24 was postponed after March 14 tied its participation to a government decision to provide security agencies with the so-called telecom data to help them investigate assassination attempts against MP Butros Harb and Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea.
The data has since been handed over to the security apparatuses.
Another reason for the boycott was Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad’s announcement that the national defense strategy is not currently necessary because Lebanon is still in the liberation stage.
The national dialogue resumed in June after a 19-month absence.
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