LEBANESE SPEAKER EXPECTS POSITIVE OUTCOME OF NATIONAL DIALOGUE

Al-Nahar website, Beirut
4 Mar 06

Lebanese Speaker Nabih Birri said that he expected the outcome of
national dialogue to be positive, according to a report published by
Lebanese paper Al-Nahar on 4 March. While participants were said to
agree that leaking information to the media would be counterproductive,
the paper reported agreement on various themes of the dialogue:
the removal of President Lahhud; the need to disarm Palestinians
outside camps and for weapons inside camps to be removed through
dialogue and without the involvement of the army; the Lebanese
identity of the Shab’a Farms; and discussion on the weapons of the
Islamic Resistance. The following is the text of a report by Rita
Shararah headlined “Three meetings on second day of National Dialogue:
Removing Lahhud, resolving Palestinian arms inside and outside camps,
Lebanese identity of farms”, published by Lebanese newspaper Al-Nahar
website on 4 March; subheadings inserted editorially

The outside scene not just reflects the real picture of the
interlocutors but of Lebanon’s current state as well. A journalist
following the developments of the national dialogue gathering would
have ample time to observe, especially the commercial scene, which
has become an isolated field whose silence is only interrupted by the
motorcades of politicians. In order for the picture to be complete on
the outside and inside as well, the escorts of the meeting participants
gather around their round table. Every politician has his own security
detail that helps the state and its security forces offer the necessary
protection. Even if the ice has been broken between the interlocutors
– which is what happened – the strict security persists to make sure
that the round table’s membership remains complete.

What positive developments have emerged and prompted House of
Representatives Speaker Nabih Birri to affirm that the outcomes “will
be good”, keeping in mind that the positive signs of the first day
have caused Solidair’s shares to rise to 8 per cent as former Bank
of Lebanon governor Harut Samulian disclosed to Al-Nahar?

The second of the historical days in Lebanon did not start in
the House of Representatives, but at the shrine of martyr comrade
Al-Hariri, where Deputy Sa’d Al-Hariri and Hezbollah Secretary-General
Hasan Nasrallah made certain publicity of the philosophy of their
meeting. They meant to read the opening verses of the Koran for
the soul of Prime Minister Al-Hariri, the architect of Al-Ta’if,
in order to send a clear signal that there is no Shi’i-Sunni discord
in Lebanon and that fishing in murky waters here will not succeed in
reaching its evil goals. The meeting was held at that location to set
the atmosphere for the discussions that will be held in parliament
over Resolution 1559.

Lahhud

After the dialogue participants proved – by staying in the parliament
building seated at the round table – that they support the first
[operative] paragraph of that resolution, in which the Security
Council “affirmed its call for the strict respect of the sovereignty,
territorial integrity, unity and political independence of Lebanon
under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon
throughout Lebanon,” it was neither difficult nor complicated to
agree on the fifth paragraph of the same resolution pertaining to the
unconstitutionality of extending President Emile Lahhud’s term. It
was thus not difficult for them to agree in one form or another on
the petitions submitted to the House of Representatives or those
signed by citizens petitioning to remove Lahhud in accordance with
that paragraph. In the paragraph, the Security Council expressed its
support “for a free and fair electoral process in Lebanon’s upcoming
presidential election conducted according to Lebanese constitutional
rules devised without foreign interference or influence”.

However, the resolution was not discussed by the interlocutors in the
manner planned and they did not cover it paragraph by paragraph;
rather, the resolution was discussed as a single unit and was
summarized under three issues: The presidency, Hezbollah’s arms,
Palestinian arms inside and outside the camps.

Palestinian arms

After the participants unanimously agreed on the need to remove Lahhud
from office, they moved on to discussing Palestinian arms.

They also unanimously agreed on the ministerial statement’s mention
of the need to remove these weapons that exist outside the camps
providing the camps themselves disarm through dialogue and without
involving the army. Moreover, the Palestinians should be allowed
to exercise their right to live in dignity, receive medical care,
education, employment and other human rights. This would give the
government of Prime Minister Fu’ad Al-Sanyurah a renewed push to
continue its work according to the cabinet statement on whose basis
the parliament granted his government confidence.

Probe into killings

The government received its first boost on the first day of the
dialogue when the participants agreed on an international court and
on expanding the investigation into the crimes committed, starting
with the attempted assassination of Minister Marwan Hamadah and ending
with the assassination of deputy and colleague martyr Jubran Tuwayni.

Weapons of the “Islamic resistance”

The weapons of the “Islamic Resistance” were then discussed from the
viewpoint of the coordinates set by Nasrallah for the existence of
such weapons in the document he drafted with the Free National Current
and its leader, deputy Michel Awn, on Tuesday, 7 February, 2006:

– Liberating Shab’a Farms from the Israeli occupation.

– Liberating Lebanese prisoners from Israeli jails.

– Defending Lebanon against Israeli dangerous through a national
dialogue that would formulate a national defence strategy that the
Lebanese agree on and become involved in through bearing its burdens
and benefiting from its outcomes.

Based on the above, the participants unanimously agreed – after
a presentation by Speaker Birri that included the use of maps and
documents – that Shab’a Farms are Lebanese and must thus be liberated
from Israeli occupation.

So far, the participants have agreed on the possibility of naming a
successor other than Awn to take over the Presidency to guarantee the
implementation of the three articles stated in the document. Owing to
the atmosphere that prevailed, it was necessary to resume discussions
today in order to finalize an agreement over the rest of the articles
so that the features for the president of Lebanon would emerge.

“Great positive atmosphere”

The great positive atmosphere of the dialogue was manifested in a
statement by one of the deputies in which he said they needed an
hour and a half to finish their work but that the attendants were
tired from the two rounds of dialogue that lasted from 3pm to 9pm
with only a 30 minute break at 6pm.

What did the House of Representatives Speaker say in his short press
conference that he has held in the past two days at the main hall?

Birri expected “the outcomes of the dialogue between the leaders of
the main political forces in Lebanon to be good”. He said all matters
were discussed, including the Presidency, Palestinian arms inside
and outside the camps, the arms of the resistance, Shab’a Farms,
the eastern sector of southern Lebanon and the controversy over its
identity, and putting a stop to Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Without
going into details, the Speaker described the dialogue as “serious,
responsible, and very open.” He stressed that the “national angle”
dominated the scene “with no reservations”.

After the second round of the dialogue ended at night, some of the
participating deputies expressed their opinion. Muhammad Al-Safadi,
minister of public works and transportation, said the “discussion
was positive and will have positive outcomes.”

Deputy Hagop Baqradian said “discussions in the first evening
session focused on Shab’a Farms and the fact that all factions
are in agreement over the Lebanese identity of the farms; we are
convinced of their Lebanese identity and need to convince the rest
of the world of it. Everyone is talking about selecting a president
through consensus but no names were discussed.” On the issue of arms,
he noted that “every leader expressed his viewpoint transparently,
openly and courageously.”

Samir Ja’ja, chairman of the Lebanese Forces’ executive body, said
“the Presidency issue needs detailed discussions and more time.”

Labour Minister Pierre Al-Jamil described the general atmosphere as
“good and open; the talks touched on all topics. Every side gave its
opinion and we agreed during the session to not leak any information.

We are at the negotiating table and the negotiating table, not media
positions, will determine what happens inside. Media posturing may
even obstruct this outcome, which is why the dialogue is held in an
atmosphere of absolute honesty without any fears and in a constructive
atmosphere.”

Deputy Jawad Bulus expected the discussions to last for days owing to
the sensitive nature of the topics being discussed in a very serious
atmosphere and with utmost honesty, seriousness and calm. Everyone
feels the national responsibility. He noted that preparations for
this conference were adequate “contrary to what is said; everyone had
their files and were ready to stay for as long as necessary until an
agreement is reached over contentious issues.”

Yesterday’s morning session was inaugurated in a commemorative
manner with the absence of deputies Walid Junblatt and Marwan Hamadah
because of travel engagements. Junblatt was replaced by Information
Minister Ghazi Al-Uraydi, who was assisted by deputies Ali Hasan
Khalil and Samir Azar. Deputy Al-Hariri was assisted by deputies
Bahij Tabarah and Nabil De Furayj. Ja’ja was assisted by deputies
Elli Kayruz and George Udwan. Nasrallah was assisted by Energy
Minister Muhammad Fanish and Deputy Muhammad Ra’d. President Emile
Lahhud was accompanied by Minister Pierre Al-Jamil and Deputy Antoine
Ghanim. Deputy Michel Awn was accompanied by deputies Abbas Hashim and
Ibrahim Kan’an. Deputy Elias Skaf was assisted by deputies Asim Araji
and George Qasarji. Deputy Muhammad Al-Safadi was assisted by Deputy
Qasim Abd-al-Aziz. Deputies Butrus Harb and Jawad Bulus represented
the independent Maronite deputies. The Orthodox were separately
represented by deputies Ghassan al-Tuwayni and Michel Al-Murr. The
Armenian parties were represented by deputy Hagop Qasarjian on behalf
of Ramgavar and was assisted by Baqradunian on behalf of Dashnak and
Yigya Gargisian on behalf of Hunchakian.