Daily Star – Lebanon
July 5 2007
No topics off-limits at talks in Paris – Safadi
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff
Thursday, July 05, 2007
BEIRUT: The French-organized trust-building meeting in Paris between
senior delegates from 14 Lebanese political parties in mid-July has
an open agenda, and all issues previously discussed and agreed on in
the national dialogue are open for discussion, according to Public
Works and Transport Minister Mohammad al-Safadi.
Safadi said after meeting French envoy Jean Claude Cousseran
Wednesday that the meeting in Paris is not a continuation of the Arab
League’s initiative to resolve the Lebanese political deadlock.
Cousseran was accompanied by French Ambassador Bernard Emie and other
embassy officials.
"The meeting has nothing to do with national dialogue, we do not want
to say that such and such was agreed upon before and we shouldn’t
discuss it, this is an open meeting to discuss any issue that the
delegates would like to discuss," Safadi said.
The minister said the hope is that some agreement can be reached over
certain issues, whether big or small, that can later be the basis for
an inter-Lebanese accord.
The French envoy also met Wednesday with former President Amin
Gemayel, Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt, Change and
Reform bloc member MP Ibrahim Kanaan, Metn MP Michel Murr and Popular
Bloc leader MP Elias Skaff. Cousseran also met a delegation from the
Lebanese Forces including MP Georges Adwan, as well as a delegation
from Hizbullah.
Cousseran said after meeting Gemayel that the Paris meeting is not
competing with the Arab League initiative: "This is not an
international meeting, nor is it a meeting to discuss and negotiate
on the hot topics in Lebanon. It is a meeting to restore dialogue and
create a new atmosphere between various Lebanese parties."
Speaking from Bikfaya, the French envoy said the important thing is
for Lebanese to succeed in "establishing an atmosphere of trust among
themselves" that would allow them to find a solution to the political
crisis.
Jumblatt, however, told Reuters that only agreement among outside
powers can resolve the paralyzing political struggle between the
majority and opposition in Lebanon, giving no hint of optimism for
the success of the Paris meeting.
Asked on prospects for the meeting’s success, Jumblatt said: "If the
French, with their contacts with the Iranians, can fix up a Lebanese
dialogue in Paris, and somewhere behind the scenes the regional
actors agree to stabilize Lebanon, why not?"
Meanwhile, Jumblatt’s political ally, Gemayel, said after meeting
Cousseran that Lebanon was in desperate need of an initiative that
brings the Lebanese together, contributing to restarting the stalled
dialogue. Gemayel welcomed the initiative and said he would do all he
can to ensure its success.
Cousseran also met with Kanaan, who conveyed to the French envoy the
support of Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun for the
French initiative. Kanaan said Lebanon was in need of a solution and
all who seek a solution and aim to bring the Lebanese closer together
ought to be encouraged.
"The issues for discussion in France are the current issues,
especially the sensitive ones, concerning the current crisis, both
its internal and external components, including the problems facing
our constitutional institutions," Kanaan said.
Aoun arrived from Qatar Wednesday and was unable to meet with the
French envoy.
Metn MP Michel Murr met Cousseran Wednesday at his home in Rabieh,
from where he announced his willingness to participate in the
meeting, naming his daughter Mirna Murr as his first delegate.
"I consider useful any conference or call to dialogue through which
the Lebanese can meet, whether first or second tier leaders," he
said,
After meeting Wednesday, the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, headed
by MP Mohammad Raad, reiterated its well established position that
any"serious" dialogue ought to be within a national unity government
that includes all "key factions" in the country.
The bloc said such a government would lay the groundwork for
approving a new and just election law to redress the imbalance in
representation and through which constitutional institutions may be
reconstituted.
Reports published in Al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday that President
Emile Lahoud was working to dissolve Parliament by appointing a new
mini-cabinet were dismissed by Lahoud’s spokesperson, Rafik Chelala.
Chelala said Lahoud never issued a statement to that effect,
reiterating the president’s earlier position that the solution to the
crisis is in forming a national-unity government: "[Lahoud] has said
repeatedly Lebanon’s experience with a two-government system was not
encouraging, in fact it was awful and pushes the country toward
divisions."
Factions pick delegates
Many of the 14 political factions invited to inter-Lebanese talks in
Paris scheduled for July 14-16 have already designated their
representatives to the meeting. The Central News Agency reported
Wednesday that Hizbullah will name their two delegates in the coming
24 hours.
Speaker Nabih Berri has delegated professor Mahmoud Berri and Ali
Hamdan, head of external relations for the Amal Movement. Future
Movement leader MP Saad Hariri delegated Sports and Youth Minister
Ahmad Fatfat and MP Nabil Defreij. March 14 MP Boutros Harb delegated
MP Jawad Boulos while a second delegate is still to be named.
Former President Amin Gemayel has named two Phalange Party stalwarts
to attend the meeting in Paris, Walid Fares, member of the party’s
political office, and Dr. Salim Sayegh, Gemayel’s representative
during the national dialogue.
The Lebanese Forces designated MP George Adwan and the party’s head
of external relations, Joseph Neameh, to serve as delegates.
The Armenian Bloc delegated MP Hagop Pakradounian, Hagop Qasarjian
and Yehya Jirjian.
Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt designated MP Ayman
Choucair with the second delegate to be named later.
Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun designated MP Ibrahim
Kanaan and the Free Patriotic Movement representative in France,
Simon Abi Ramiya. March 14 MP Ghassan Tueini and Popular Bloc leader
Elias Skaff have yet to name delegates.