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Efforts Underway for Suleiman, Hizbullah Rapprochement

The Free Patriotic Movement is exerting efforts to restore ties between President Michel Suleiman and Hizbullah after a dispute over the President's latest statement.

According to al-Liwaa newspaper published on Wednesday, the FPM tasked Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil with resolving the dispute.

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Bassil Agrees with Fabius on Need to 'Build Strong Army, Fight Terror'

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil on Tuesday agreed with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius on the need to “build a strong army and fight terrorism” in Lebanon.

“The meeting was constructive and there are common viewpoints between the two sides, including the agreement on the importance of stability in Lebanon and the need to build a strong army and fight terrorism,” said Bassil after talks with Fabius at the Quai d'Orsay palace in Paris.

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Hale Urges Hizbullah to Stop 'Contributing' to Syria War, Says Regime a 'Magnet' for Takfiri Groups

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale on Tuesday called on Hizbullah to stop contributing to the Syrian conflict, describing the Assad regime as the "magnet" that has been attracting extremist groups into Syria and into Lebanon.

“We oppose terrorism in all its forms and frankly the Assad regime has been the magnet that's been bringing the extremist, takfiri terrorist threat here, into Lebanon and into Syria,” Hale said during an interview on LBCI television.

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Aoun, FPM Figures Meet with Roknabadi at Iranian Embassy Dinner

The Iranian embassy in Lebanon held a dinner at its premises with the participation of Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun and several party figures, Tehran's diplomatic mission announced on Tuesday.

"Aoun was accompanied to ambassador Ghazanfar Roknabadi's dinner by Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, Education Minister Elias Bou Saab, Energy Ministry Arthur Nazarian as well as MPs Abbas Hashem, Nabil Nicolas, Hikmat Dib, Alain Aoun, Naji Gharios and Fadi al-Awar,” a statement by the embassy detailed.

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Rights Group Says Lebanon Must Overcome Civil War 'Amnesia'

Lebanon's "state-sponsored amnesia" towards its 15-year civil war has left communities segregated and without justice or reconciliation, a non-governmental organization reported Tuesday.

The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) said real peace and reconciliation in Lebanon requires "meaningful accountability" for violence during the war and "institutional reform."

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Aoun: Resistance Does Not Need Recognition of Any Side

Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun urged on Tuesday the panel tasked with drafting a government policy statement to complete its mission soon in order to allow the staging of the presidential elections.

He rejected the ongoing debate among its members over references to the resistance, saying: “The resistance does not need the recognition of any side.”

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ISIL Claims Rocket Attack on al-Labweh as Syrian Air Raid Targets Arsal

Three rockets fired from Syria struck residential neighborhoods in the Bekaa town of al-Labweh on Tuesday, in an attack that was swiftly claimed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, which prompted some residents to block the road to nearby Arsal and assault passersby.

The "Damascus Prefecture" of the Qaida-inspired ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack on its Twitter account and published pictures of rockets and masked fighters.

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Parliamentary Session Postponed Anew amid Ongoing Legislative Row

A controversial parliamentary session that includes 45 items on its agenda was postponed on Tuesday for the 10th time over lack of quorum.

Speaker Nabih Berri postponed the session without setting an upcoming date.

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Dubai Deputy Police Chief Says Hizbullah Trained Bahraini Bomb Attacker, Party Denies

Dubai's police chief Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan slammed on Tuesday the Islamic Republic of Iran and its ally Hizbullah a day after a bomb explosion in Bahrain killed three policemen, including an Emirati.

However, Hizbullah “categorically” denied Khalfan's allegation, saying in a statement issued in the evening that “this claim is totally unfounded.”

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France, Lebanon Reach Agreement over Arms Deal after Tough Negotiations

Negotiations between Lebanon and France over an arms deal reached a settlement after difficult discussions concerning the prices, which exceeded what was expected, local newspapers reported on Tuesday.

“French authorities placed tough financial conditions and prices for the arms beyond the expectation,” a source said in comments published in As Safir.

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