The session of the national dialogue resumed on Monday with Participants refused the act of using Lebanon as a corridor for arms smuggling.

The session of the national dialogue resumed on Monday with Participants refused the act of using Lebanon as a corridor for arms smuggling.

“Political cover must be lifted off the use of weapons in Lebanon,” the gatherers said in a statement as they stressed the refusal to use Lebanon as a passage to smuggle weapons into Syria.

They also highlighted the need to commit to the Baabda declaration that was issued during the June 11 national dialogue, especially regarding its call for political and media calm in Lebanon, supporting the army, and keeping Lebanon away from regional and international disputes.

The participants agreed to resume talks over a national defense strategy during the next session, which will be held on July 24.
In addition, the national dialogue statement hoped that the government would place the necessary mechanisms in order to implement the agreements of past talks, urging it to devise a plan to remove Palestinian weapons outside Palestinian refugee camps.

The statement concluded that there can be no substitute for dialogue aimed at reaching an agreement over a defense strategy and the possession of arms in Lebanon in order to maintain stability and national unity.

DEFENSE STRATEGY
Media outlets reported on Monday that the meeting in Baabda would discuss the defense strategy.
They said that President Michel Sleiman had revealed at the start of Monday’s session at the Baabda Palace that he will propose during the July session his vision of a defense strategy.

The gatherers agreed that discussions on the strategy will kick off from the president’s proposal.

Lebanese newspaper, The Daily Star, quoted some sources as saying that former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora stressed on the importance of “distinguishing the possession of arms before and after 2000, when the Israeli army withdrew from south Lebanon,” in reference to Hezbollah weapon.

In response to Siniora, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Hezbollah’s arsenal should remain to protect Lebanon’s oil resources.

Speaker Berri, who is among 15 leaders who attended the session since its resumption on June 11, said: “Everything is allowed in the dialogue except for failure.”
“Each side has the right to propose what it thinks of,” he added.

For his part, Premier Najib Miqati was optimistic as he said: “there is a possibility to find an opening in the wall.”