National Dialogue Postponed and Discussion of False Witnesses File Likely to Lengthen

The presidency announced on Friday that the national dialogue has been postponed.

The session, which was scheduled for October 19, has been pushed to November 4.

Ministerial sources meanwhile told the daily al-Hayat Saturday that it is unlikely that Cabinet would be able to reach a final position on the report on the false witnesses file that was prepared by Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar.

The discussion is likely to be finalized when the dispute between the March 14 and March 8 forces is resolved.

The former believes that the matter should be tackled before the judiciary, while the opposition has demanded that it be handled through the legal council.

The sources stated that it is a likely that an understanding between President Michel Suleiman and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat in which they agreed that postponing the discussion was necessary in order to avert increasing the tensions that are already pervading the country.

Sources from the PSP reported the Druze leader as saying that the solution to the crisis in Lebanon lies in an understanding with Syria.

The sources added that Prime Minister Saad Hariri was informed of Suleiman and Jumblat's positions on the discussion of the false witnesses file, and he relayed it to the Mustaqbal bloc MPs.