BEIRUT: Lebanon’s rival political factions yesterday pledged to refrain from violence in the run-up to a crucial legislative election in June, the president’s office announced after an all-party meeting.
The promise came as the ruling majority in Parliament and the Hezbollah-led alliance held a fifth round of talks on a national defense strategy at the heart of which lies the thorny issue of Hezbollah’s arsenal.
The talks were adjourned to April 28 after a deal was struck by members of a commission set up by the two camps to continue working toward finding common ground on defense.
Yesterday’s talks focused largely on the need to avoid sectarian clashes ahead of the June 7 general election that will pit the Sunni-led parliamentary majority against the opposition Shiite-led alliance.
“Participants pledged not to resort to any kind of violence, including through media channels, speeches and declarations,” President Michel Suleiman’s office said in a statement.
There has been mounting concern in Lebanon as the election date approaches of a recurrence of the sectarian violence that rocked the country last May, leaving some 100 people dead and prompting fears of a new civil war.
Lebanon was wracked by civil strife between 1975 and 1990, when an estimated 150,000 people were killed.
“The events on the ground prove that the decision to maintain peace in the country has not been adopted by some,” said former President Amin Gemayel, referring to the Hezbollah-led alliance.
He added that clashes that left two people dead last month following a rally held by the majority to commemorate the assassination four years ago of former Premier Rafik Hariri did not augur well for Lebanon.
The talks on a common defense strategy were organized following a Qatari-brokered deal last May that led to the election of a president, the formation of a national unity government and a new electoral law.
However, a major stumbling block to the talks, which began in September, has been Hezbollah’s weapons.
The parliamentary majority says Hezbollah’s arsenal undermines the authority of the state, but the group refuses to disarm, arguing that its armaments and militia are essential to defend the country against Israel.
