DOHA, 17 May 2008 — Rival Lebanese leaders flew to Qatar yesterday aiming to end a protracted political conflict that has pushed their country to the brink of a new civil war.
One of the most influential members of the ruling coalition, which was dealt a military blow by Hezbollah in six days of fighting, called for concessions to avoid more conflict.
“Let us deal with matters calmly at the dialogue table. Each one of us and them must offer concessions to bury strife,” Walid Jumblatt said during a tour of Druze villages where his followers this week battled Hezbollah gunmen.
“We are going to the dialogue with a great political wound,” said Jumblatt, who later flew to Doha in a Qatar Airways plane along with both his allies and rivals.
Arab mediators, led by the Qatari prime minister, concluded a deal on Thursday to end the fighting which killed 81 people and exacerbated sectarian tensions in the country.
Qatar invited the rivals to Doha for talks to end a broader political standoff that has paralyzed government for 18 months and left Lebanon without a president since November. “We are going to Doha .... to come back, God willing, with an agreement that will allow the Lebanese people to look forward, benefiting from the past and its bitter experience,” Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said before leaving for Qatar.
Syria said it supported the Qatari-led Arab League initiative. “This step could be a real chance to save Lebanon from the dangers that threaten it,” Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moualem told the Lebanese As-Safir newspaper. “We are absolutely with the initiative.”
Saudi Arabia also stated its support for the deal. Riyadh said this week that Hezbollah’s campaign could affect Iran’s ties with Arab states. Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, speaking in Riyadh, stressed the importance of abiding by commitments not to use violence for political gains.
Hezbollah’s seizure of western Beirut forced the government to rescind two decisions which had triggered the escalation. Hezbollah had seen the government move to ban its communications network as a declaration of war.
In another concession to the opposition, the ruling coalition also appears to have dropped its demands that the election of a new president precede discussions on a new Cabinet and a new parliamentary election law — the two main issues on the agenda of the Qatar talks.
“The atmosphere is excellent and we will put our efforts into reaching a solution which is in the interest of all Lebanese people,” Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told As-Safir newspaper.
