Dialogue talks will take place on June 11, An-Nahar

An-Nahar newspaper predicted on Saturday that the national dialogue talks called for by Lebanese President Michel Suleiman will take place as scheduled on June 11 despite the reservations by the opposition.

According to the daily Suleiman was to receive the conditions set by the March 14 opposition for participation by Saturday.

Suleiman sent invitations to the members of the national dialogue committee calling on them to convene at the Baabda Presidential Palace on June 11 at 11:00 am to discuss various issues, including Hezbollah’s arms.

However, some members of the Western-backed March 14 coalition said they reject taking part in the national dialogue session unless Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s cabinet resigns.

Gain time

March 14 MP Ahmad Fatfat said in remarks published on Saturday that Hezbollah wants the dialogue in order to gain time and plan actions that would tamper with Lebanon’s security.

“Previous experiences have shown that Hezbollah does not take national dialogue seriously… but that it calls for dialogue when it needs to gain time to plan actions that would tamper with Lebanon’s security ,” Fatfat told Kuwaiti daily Al-Anbaa.

“National dialogue will not yield any positive results and I doubt that the first session will be followed by another one,” he added.

Minimum requirements

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said in remarks published on Saturday that, despite his refusal to attend the national dialogue sessions on June 11, his party would make the necessary efforts to provide the minimum requirements for such a dialogue.

“We are ready to take part in dialogue when the minimum requirements are met, which is not the case this time around. However, we will try our best, with President Michel Suleiman, to find the minimum requirements that guarantee the success of the dialogue [session],” Geagea told Saudi daily Okaz.

“But, on the other hand, if we fail to find these requirements then we would have reached a dead end, because the other party does not abide by serious dialogue,” he added.