Benefits of re-launching national dialogue in Lebanon questioned by rival blocs

Once again, the “usefulness” of the national dialogue raised itself in Lebanon, in light of the new initiative launched by President Michel Sleiman who declared on Saturday his plan to consult with the country’s top leaders on launching a new round of national dialogue.

While the two rival camps in the Lebanese scene rushed to exchange “terms” to cooperate with such initiative, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Miqati declared their full and absolute support for it, as there’s no substitute to dialogue at the current stage.

For instance, Berri stressed the importance of all-party talks to “avoid all kinds of problems and disputes.” While expressing readiness to participate again in the national dialogue, he noted that it plays a major role in calming people down and renders communication among feuding parties.

Miqati in turn said that the Lebanese parties have no choice but to return to dialogue given the current division in the country. “All sides should participate in the dialogue because the failure to do so means that the problems will be transferred elsewhere,” he noted.

However, the so-called opposition claimed it would be useless to meet with the loyalty, and said that President Michel Sleiman should provide guarantees for a productive national dialogue before inviting for all party-talks at the Baabda palace.

Lebanese daily As-Safir quoted March 14 forces as saying that the previous experience with dialogue was bad over the non-implementation of any decision reached between the conferees. “This pushes us to wonder about the benefit of undergoing the same experience if the circumstances of its success are not available yet,” the sources said.