Misinterpretation or distortion: Did al-Rahi call on MPs to attend Berri's dialogue?

Ninety-one MPs will attend a seven-day dialogue proposed by Speaker Nabih Berri, following which open presidential election sessions would be held, al-Akhbar newspaper said Thursday.

- Who's attending -

MPs from Hezbollah, Amal, the Free Patriotic Movement, the Progressive Socialist Party, al-Marada, the National Moderation bloc, the National Accord bloc, the Tashnag party and some independent MPs are attending Berri's dialogue, while twenty nine MPs -- including some change and independent MPs and the MPs of the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb party and the Tajaddod bloc -- have rejected it.

Four out of 12 change MPs are boycotting the dialogue -- Waddah al Sadek, Michel Douaihi, Marc Daou and Yassin Yassin, while change MP Elias Jradeh considered dialogue "essential to build bridges between parties."

- Is al-Rahi with or against dialogue -

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi had said that if dialogue happens in spite of the bickering, it would require going to it without prejudgments nor the will to impose ideas, projects and viewpoints.

"Each political party is trying to win the Patriarch's support, but Bkirki remains a religious and national authority that is not affiliated with any political or partisan side," Patriarchal vicar Samir Mazloum told Asharq al-Awsat, in remarks published Thursday.

"Al-Rahi's statement was misinterpreted. What he wants first and foremost is the election of a president, ending the stalemate, and building the state," Mazloum said.

Opposition sources have also accused some parties of trying to take advantage of al-Rahi's statement and of intentionally distorting his words, in remarks published in Nidaa al-Watan newspaper.

LF Sources assured that there is mutual trust and accord between the LF and the patriarch. "We agree on Lebanon's identity, on the state's project, and on committing to the constitution," the sources said. "Al-Rahi supports dialogue as an absolute humanitarian value and we are also not against dialogue as a general principle."

LF chief Samir Geagea had called al-Rahi on Tuesday and the two leaders might reportedly meet soon.