Hussein Dakroub| The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Final touches are being put to the agenda of dialogue between the Future Movement and Hezbollah which is expected to kick off before the end of the month, Speaker Nabih Berri said Sunday, as officials from both sides said the talks were designed to prevent sectarian strife.
“The agenda of dialogue between the Future Movement and Hezbollah still needs final touches before it can start ahead of the end of this month,” Berri was quoted as saying by Ain al-Tineh visitors.
He said Wednesday’s Parliament session – the 16th attempt to elect a new president – is destined to fail like previous ones over a lack of quorum.
A special envoy of French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius arrived in Beirut Sunday night for talks with Lebanese officials on the political deadlock that has left Lebanon without a president for more than six months. Jean-Francois Giroux, the director of the French Foreign Ministry’s Middle East Department, will also discuss developments in the region and expanding bilateral ties.
Berri’s remarks come as preparations have been stepped up to launch the long-awaited dialogue between Hezbollah and the Future Movement deemed essential for reducing Sunni-Shiite tensions and facilitating the election of a consensus president.
Officials from the two rival parties have voiced hopes that the upcoming dialogue would ward off the threat of sectarian strife.
“Hezbollah is going ahead with the internal dialogue [with Future] out of its concern for national unity because with this we prevent strife,” Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, deputy head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, said during a memorial ceremony in the southern village of Taibeh.
He said when Hezbollah and Future announced their decision to engage in dialogue, this evoked a wave of satisfaction across the country.
“It was a message for the interior and abroad that Lebanon is recovering from sectarian tensions sweeping the region. We have again blocked the road to strife. This is what protects the country, strengthens Lebanon and increases its immunity in facing the takfiri dangers,” Qaouk added.
Future MP Ammar Houri said in a statement: “We are going to dialogue with Hezbollah while we are in a phase that is probably unprecedented with its gravity. We are now amid a vacancy in the presidency post … We are trying to reduce this sectarian tension and prevent Lebanon from sliding into this fire that is surrounding us in every direction.”
Ahmad Hariri, secretary-general of the Future Movement, hoped that the talks would lead to a comprehensive national dialogue.
“We are ready for dialogue I, dialogue II and dialogue III for the sake of Lebanon,” Hariri said at a dinner in his honor by Future MP Jamal Jarrah at a hotel in Chtaura Saturday.
He stressed that without sacrifices Lebanon could not be protected. “From our position we will not spare any opportunity to rescue Lebanon from all dangers. We hope that the expected dialogue will be a prelude to a comprehensive national dialogue that will be crowned with the election of a new consensus president who can bring all the Lebanese back to the ‘Baabda Declaration,’ safeguard the Taif Constitution and neutralize Lebanon from the Syrian fire in which some Lebanese are being burned,” Hariri said, in a clear reference to Hezbollah’s military involvement in the Syrian war.
For his part, Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai called for collective prayers for the election of a president and resolving the country’s political and economic problems.
“We cannot persist with deaf ears to the screams of citizens who are facing livelihood, economic and security crises,” Rai said during Sunday’s Mass in Bkirki. “Therefore, we call for collective prayers by citizens, monasteries and institutions for the election of a president and bringing the country out of its political, socioeconomic and security crises.”
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov wrapped up a two-day visit to Lebanon by meeting separately with Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and MP Walid Jumblatt before he left Sunday for Turkey.
A statement released by Hezbollah said “Russian President Putin’s special envoy” met with Nasrallah Saturday night to discuss political developments in the region, with particular focus on Lebanon and Syria.
Bogdanov met Jumbatt at his residence in Clemenceau Saturday night in the presence of Agriculture Minister Akram Chehayeb, Health Minister Wael Abu Faour and Jumblatt’s son, Taymour.