Saniora: March 14 Will Open-Mindedly Approach Dialogue that Must Only Tackle Arms

The head of the Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Fouad Saniora stressed on Saturday that the March 14 camp is committed to the memorandum that it handed to President Michel Suleiman on the national dialogue.

He announced in a press conference: “We will approach the dialogue with an open mind and weapons possession in Lebanon should be the only topic of discussion.”

Saniora and a March 14 delegation had handed Suleiman the memo on Saturday.

“The March 14 camp’s position is unified and this was demonstrated in the visit we paid to Suleiman earlier in the day during which we presented him with our initiative,” Saniora added.

“We believe that this initiative is needed for the country,” remarked the former premier.

The national dialogue must address the only remaining unresolved issue, which is the possession of arms, stressed Saniora.

“The memo represents the March 14 vision of the situation in the country which was created by the actions of the current government,” he explained.

“It proposes the way in which power in Lebanon can be handed over to the state,” he continued.

“The March 14 forces are committed to the memo and it is on the basis of this initiative that we will head to dialogue,” he noted.

“This is the best way to end the current crisis,” said Saniora.

Furthermore, he stated that the Lebanese Forces have voiced their support for the memo, adding: “We respect their position and accept it.”

LF chief Samir Geagea had announced that the party will not take part in the national dialogue session, which is scheduled to be held on Monday.

Geagea had called the talks a “big distraction.”

“This dialogue will not produce any result,” he said.

Saniora continued: “The memo has been placed at the disposal of the Lebanese people and there is a great need to seriously look into it because it serves the country’s interests.”

The daily An Nahar had reported on Saturday that the memo includes a “salvation initiative."

“It lists a number of dangers facing the country as a result of the Syrian crisis and its regime’s attempts to spread it to Lebanon,” it said.

The eight-page memo will stress the importance of “rejecting violence and the use of arms under any pretext”, as well as the “need for rival factions to recognize the other’s insecurities.”

The March 14 forces also highlighted the need to confirm and implement the agreements of previous national dialogue session, continued An Nahar.

The initiative calls on all powers, including Hizbullah and all of its March 8 allies, to agree on constitution, Taif accord, and authority of the state, as well as the need for the establishment of a national salivation government in light of the current local and regional tensions, it added.

Al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Saturday that the initiative will also serve as a response to the proposals made by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah during his latest speech on June 1.

Harb had stated on Friday that the memo will include details on decisions reached during previous dialogue sessions and focus on their non-implementation including issues linked to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the demarcation of the border with Syria.

He confirmed that the March 14 coalition would attend the all-party talks without the Lebanese Forces.