Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said in an interview with Al-Makarkaziya ( Central) news agency that he is against national dialogue if it was not serious.
“A March 14 delegation will visit President Michel Suleiman within two days. Based on the results of the visit, [we] will decide [if we will attend the national dialogue],” Geagea said.
“If [the participants] and the president cannot provide the least [amounts of] elements [required to hold] serious dialogue, then [there is no use] to waste time and efforts and sit on a table for dialogue just for the sake of doing so.”
Geagea also voiced the need for a “serious dialogue” that would put an end to the “continuous drain” in the country.
“No one can be against dialogue, especially the March 14 parties, unless when we feel that dialogue is being held to cover up for [certain] events, like the Tripoli [violence],” he added.
“What is weird is that some parties consider dialogue to be inevitable [amid] such events. If a serious dialogue had been proposed, we would have been the first people to call for [holding] it, but what is being suggested is a trap by Hezbollah to cover up what is happening and prolong it.”
Geagea’s remarks came a few days after President Suleiman had invited rival Lebanese political leaders to convene for National Dialogue talks on June 11 in an attempt to prevent the country from sliding into sectarian strife as a result of the turmoil in neighboring Syria.
March 14 coalition is demanding the formation of a neutral “salvation” government to oversee next year’s parliamentary elections as a precondition to convening the National Dialogue talks.
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