Ya Libnan

Rival Lebanon leaders agreed to defuse tension

Share:

As expected rival political leaders in Lebanon met face-to-face for the first time since November 2010 in a new session of the National Dialogue talks aimed at reducing the tension in the country resulting from the 15-month-old unrest in Syria.

The session which was held at the Baabda palace was chaired by president Michel Suleiman.

During his speech at the beginning of the session President Suleiman voiced the importance of decreasing the intensity of political rhetoric, National News Agency reported on Monday.

“We are in front of a national responsibility. There is no problem addressing all issues [during dialogue] but the intensity of political rhetoric and tension must be decreased,” Suleiman said.

He added that discussions should be “openly” held in order to reach solutions to the country’s current problems.

According to a statement issued by the president’s office , Lebanon’s rival political leaders agreed on Monday to a series of points emphasizing stability and coexistence in Lebanon amid the violence rocking neighboring Syria.

The participants voiced their commitment to respecting the Taif Agreement while still considering means to improve the 1989 pact that ended the Lebanese Civil War.

The participants also agreed to commit to dialogue, work to reinforce “the pillars” of stability and maintain civil peace.

The National Dialogue Committee called on all political parties not to adopt an intense political rhetoric and “confirmed” the formula of co-existence.

“Lebanon should be neutral from the policy of axes and international and regional struggles… except for decisions based on legitimate international and Arab consensus,” the statement said.

The committee also voiced Lebanon’s commitment to “controlling the situation along the Syrian-Lebanese border and preventing the formation of a buffer zone in Lebanon and using the country as a path to smuggle arms.”

The leaders voiced support for the judiciary and called for implementing plans to diversify the Lebanese economy.

They also called on the Lebanese people to refrain from violence and support the army and its mission.

The participants agreed continue to identify a mechanism for implementing decisions taken during previous national dialogue sessions.

The next sessions was scheduled for June 25.

As expected nothing was mentioned in the statement about Hezbollah arms or the arms of the Palestinian factions that are loyal to the Syrian regime.

The statement added that a copy of the agreements will be sent to the Arab League and the United Nations.

Share:

Comments

18 responses to “Rival Lebanon leaders agreed to defuse tension”

  1. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Unfortunately a useless meeting which did not address the issue the cause of the existing tensions in the country which is the ARMS in the hands of certain parties and the people. Tension does not come from nothing and from words, tension comes from fear and the arms and their use in the hands of certain parties cause the rest of the Lebanese to be afraid and tense and wary from the other. When these meetings will address the real issues then we will start to see improvements in the situation. As long as everyone is acting in a hypocritical way and ignoring the real issues and implementing the ostrich policy then it is very easy to blame the others and especially the government for everything that is happening. Mr. Suleiman have some guts for once and propose radical solutions to a lingering problem instead of “managing’ the crisis. Take some responsibility in favour of the people and the country and forget the politicians, for once.

  2. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Unfortunately a useless meeting which did not address the issue the cause of the existing tensions in the country which is the ARMS in the hands of certain parties and the people. Tension does not come from nothing and from words, tension comes from fear and the arms and their use in the hands of certain parties cause the rest of the Lebanese to be afraid and tense and wary from the other. When these meetings will address the real issues then we will start to see improvements in the situation. As long as everyone is acting in a hypocritical way and ignoring the real issues and implementing the ostrich policy then it is very easy to blame the others and especially the government for everything that is happening. Mr. Suleiman have some guts for once and propose radical solutions to a lingering problem instead of “managing’ the crisis. Take some responsibility in favour of the people and the country and forget the politicians, for once.

  3. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Geagea was right … why bother ?

    1. Hannibal Avatar
      Hannibal

      indeed…

    2. MeYosemite Avatar
      MeYosemite

      Clinton asked for a unity, at least in appearances, in case true division develops in Syria. Expect Hezbollah to play low for a while.

  4. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Geagea was right … why bother ?

    1. Hannibal Avatar
      Hannibal

      indeed…

    2. MeYosemite Avatar
      MeYosemite

      Clinton asked for a unity, at least in appearances, in case true division develops in Syria. Expect Hezbollah to play low for a while.

  5. geo metro Avatar
    geo metro

    A system where the protocol is not to offend the offender promises nothing.

    the blessing of any palestinian factions posessing arms was a  defect and a  breakdown originating  decades ago with substantial damage to lebanon, 2012 and nothing has changed, token talk and meet and greet to smell the feet   while the  lawless continue to  get handled with kid gloves renewing their license and legitamecy to continue to behave as brats.  sadly a complicated cluster of hoplessness.

  6. geo metro Avatar
    geo metro

    A system where the protocol is not to offend the offender promises nothing.

    the blessing of any palestinian factions posessing arms was a  defect and a  breakdown originating  decades ago with substantial damage to lebanon, 2012 and nothing has changed, token talk and meet and greet to smell the feet   while the  lawless continue to  get handled with kid gloves renewing their license and legitamecy to continue to behave as brats.  sadly a complicated cluster of hoplessness.

  7. Prophettttt Avatar
    Prophettttt

    What a shame!!!!!They met so that they can agree to commit to dialogue, work to enforce the “pillars of stability,and to maintain civil peace.Aren’t Lebanese so lucky that they didn’t disagree? Aren’t these leaders ashamed of themselves to even agree to put out such a  statement? Are we supposed to cheer for them because they agreed on these issues? I wonder how much discussions,and how long did it take for them to reach such agreement? I wonder if they can tell us who had any reservation and who had to  be convinced to sign on to this statement?
    Forgive my cynicism, but I think this statement should outrage Lebanese people, let alone having to have a “national dialogue’ in order to agree  not to kill us.They have no shame,and they truly have no respect to the people. 
    This whole meeting shows how our so called leaders view their own supporters as herds of sheep.
    Geagea was right in the sense of not wanting to sign on some thing He does not agree on.lol

    1. geo metro Avatar
      geo metro

      tragically prophet,  if the lebanese goverment was willing to give control of this  venue to you hanibal,fadi,beiruti,5th,  yosemite,mazen,master, and all the other friends that comment here,,,, all issues would have been put to sleep and imediate progress would hve taken place for lebanons future.

      it is my believe that if you seek,, you will find , most veteran poilticians that dont experience  humble pie in their careers end up feeling god like and only seek to maintain superiority and allegiance to obsolete causes of the past rather than a promising seed for the future of a country as a whole, yistiflo my triple espresso is getting cold lol 

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Wow Geo … into triples now? hehehehe (I hesitate to mention the scotch …)
        Now, if I had ANY control … hahahhahahaha
        But yes, we the little people learn from our mistakes and feel free to change. It only affects us.
        The politicians ‘in control’ of the masses affect many with a mistake, and then it too-often seems hate to admit they are human too. Sometimes we don’t forgive them for it. When they are really bad, we should not.
        Only a democratic system allows us to correct the mistakes we made in our voting – assuming the mistake wasn’t so bad that we actually get another chance. But therein lies the ‘brainwashing’ and lack of education problem … and the lack of a truly free Press where all can be written for us to make the decisions with.
        WE WHO BLOG … the few seekers. 🙂
          Damn eh? We should be running the place … but I’m too old. 😉

      2. Prophettttt Avatar
        Prophettttt

        Geo,Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I don’t think I qualify. I would let the elders and the wiser of all the friends you listed to do this job,and I would sit back and criticize them,lol.
        I promise that when I ‘m old enough,and wise enough ; I would listen to their advice and follow their  footsteps. 

        Tragically, Lebanon is a hopeless case,unless one believes in magic  or miracles,but undoubtedly, our friends on this blog will do a much better and honest job than our so called leaders.
        Good day ,my friend.

  8. Prophettttt Avatar
    Prophettttt

    What a shame!!!!!They met so that they can agree to commit to dialogue, work to enforce the “pillars of stability,and to maintain civil peace.Aren’t Lebanese so lucky that they didn’t disagree? Aren’t these leaders ashamed of themselves to even agree to put out such a  statement? Are we supposed to cheer for them because they agreed on these issues? I wonder how much discussions,and how long did it take for them to reach such agreement? I wonder if they can tell us who had any reservation and who had to  be convinced to sign on to this statement?
    Forgive my cynicism, but I think this statement should outrage Lebanese people, let alone having to have a “national dialogue’ in order to agree  not to kill us.They have no shame,and they truly have no respect to the people. 
    This whole meeting shows how our so called leaders view their own supporters as herds of sheep.
    Geagea was right in the sense of not wanting to sign on some thing He does not agree on.lol

    1. geo metro Avatar
      geo metro

      tragically prophet,  if the lebanese goverment was willing to give control of this  venue to you hanibal,fadi,beiruti,5th,  yosemite,mazen,master, and all the other friends that comment here,,,, all issues would have been put to sleep and imediate progress would hve taken place for lebanons future.

      it is my believe that if you seek,, you will find , most veteran poilticians that dont experience  humble pie in their careers end up feeling god like and only seek to maintain superiority and allegiance to obsolete causes of the past rather than a promising seed for the future of a country as a whole, yistiflo my triple espresso is getting cold lol 

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Wow Geo … into triples now? hehehehe (I hesitate to mention the scotch …)
        Now, if I had ANY control … hahahhahahaha
        But yes, we the little people learn from our mistakes and feel free to change. It only affects us.
        The politicians ‘in control’ of the masses affect many with a mistake, and then it too-often seems hate to admit they are human too. Sometimes we don’t forgive them for it. When they are really bad, we should not.
        Only a democratic system allows us to correct the mistakes we made in our voting – assuming the mistake wasn’t so bad that we actually get another chance. But therein lies the ‘brainwashing’ and lack of education problem … and the lack of a truly free Press where all can be written for us to make the decisions with.
        WE WHO BLOG … the few seekers. 🙂
          Damn eh? We should be running the place … but I’m too old. 😉

      2. Prophettttt Avatar
        Prophettttt

        Geo,Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I don’t think I qualify. I would let the elders and the wiser of all the friends you listed. I promise that when I ‘m old enough,and wise enough ; I would follow their advice and their  footsteps. 

        Tragically, Lebanon is a hopeless case,unless one believes in magic  or miracles.lol 
        Good day ,my friend.

Leave a Reply