BEIRUT, 4 April 2006 — Lebanese leaders participating in the national dialogue yesterday aimed at resolving a long-running political crisis, including demands by anti-Syrian groups for the resignation of pro-Damascus President Emile Lahoud decided to adjourn talks till April 28. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told Arab News that April 28 will be decisive regarding the presidential issue: “On April 28, whether the participants reach an agreement that will lead to the resignation of Lahoud or not the issue will be closed in both cases and discussions will move to other subjects like the weapons of Hezbollah issue.”
Berri explained that the reason for the postponement till April 28 was because “During this month there are various holidays like the Easter holiday ... in addition to some international conferences that some of the participants had to attend.” However, sources close to one of the national dialogue’s main participants told Arab News that the reasons behind the postponement were that “the participants are finding obstacles in finding consensus on one of the possible presidential candidates.”
Lebanon has been in political limbo since the February 2005 murder of former Premier Rafik Hariri that later forced Syria to end its 29-year military presence and political domination of its smaller neighbor. Lahoud’s fate is among the most contentious issues on the table, along with the disarming of the Hezbollah resistance group and armed Palestinian groups outside refugee camps in the country. But despite the public disputes which cut short a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, influential pro-Syrian Berri said the dialogue would resume as scheduled to tackle the issue of the presidency.
Berri said the issue of replacing Lahoud was further complicated by the fact that “there are no names (for a new president) on the table of dialogue so far.” In September 2004, the previous Lebanese Parliament — under Syrian pressure — extended Lahoud’s mandate by three years in the face of opposition from a majority of Lebanese and a UN Security Council resolution. Lahoud has repeatedly rejected calls to step down.
As for the disarmament of Hezbollah, Berri asserted that “we will not discuss this before resolving the issue of the president of the republic.” He said there were plans for Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, once a close aide to Hariri, to meet with Syrian officials to discuss relations which have been strained since Damascus was accused of involvement in Hariri’s killing.
Nasri Khoury, head of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council, told reporters on Sunday that he had relayed to Damascus a proposal for the agenda of a visit by Siniora, but still had not received any answers. Syria’s Information Minister Mohsen Bilal was quoted by Beirut newspapers as saying that “there is no hurry” for Siniora’s visit, as “we need to study the agenda.” “The gate to Syria is the resistance... as Syria will not open its doors to any party that is against the resistance,” he told Syrian state television.
Ahmad Jibril, head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) which maintains armed bases outside the refugee camps, visited Lebanon on Saturday, saying: “The road to Damascus has been paved for Siniora.” On the issue of PFLP-GC weapons outside the Palestinian camps, Jibril said “when the Palestinians will feel safe, the security issue will not be a problem anymore.”
