Lebanon : 9th dialogue session ended. 10th session set for Nov 17

The ninth national dialogue session was held today at the  Parliament headquarters in Downtown Beirut    to try resolve the presidential impasse  that has paralyzed the government and state institutions

The tenth round of national dialogue was set for Nov. 17.

The session which was chaired by Speaker Nabih Berri   kicked off shortly before 12 p.m.  All but the Phalange Party attended the session.

The Phalange Party announced Monday that it will continue to boycott the national dialogue so long as the trash crisis continues and the government remains dysfunctional.

In a statement released by the party’s media office, it  criticized the government for its inability to solve the ongoing trash crisis, which country has endured for nearly four months.

Prior to the national dialogue  session Berri held a private meeting with Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan to discuss the proposed Costa Brava  landfill in Khalde ,  Shoueifat area , south of the capital Beirut

Arslan has warned that residents of Shoueifat were overwhelmingly against the establishment of a landfill , which puts a plan designed to end the garbage crisis into further jeopardy.

Arslan also said following the session that the best way to resolve the garbage crisis is to export the trash .

Similarly minister  Michel Pharaon said he is opposed to having the landfill in Karantina and recommended the export of the  trash.

The session reportedly focused on the specifications of new presidents  for Lebanon

Following the dialogue session, Parliament’s Secretariat is scheduled to meet in an attempt to agree on the agenda of an upcoming legislative session. The session will be held to approve urgent draft laws, including the World Bank’s $600 million soft loans.

At last week’s meeting charied by Berri, members of Parliament’s Secretariat agreed on listing 19 draft laws on the agenda, mostly linked to the state’s finances and loans. The agend will most likely exclude a new electoral law and the public sector’s salary hike proposal.

However, the 19 draft laws included a bill that would grant foreigners of Lebanese origin Lebanese citizenship.