Divided "March 14" Seeks to Unify Stand on Dialogue

Source: Al-Manar TV, 4-11-2008
On the eve of the "re-vivification" of the Lebanese national dialogue at the Baabda Presidential Palace under the auspices of President Michel Suleiman, the so-called March 14 bloc is seeking to unify its stand after the latest developments proved the bloc's constituents differ in views not only regarding the details but even the dialogue's structure and its potential expansion.
In this context, March 14 leaders held a meeting on Monday night in Qoreitem in Beirut (Future movement MP Saad Hariri's headquarters) aimed at discussing a "unified stand" regarding dialogue. However, unified stand reportedly considered was not announced by the briefed statement issued after the meeting.
The statement just said the participants in the meeting reviewed "political developments and unifying the March 14 stand on the eve of national dialogue that is scheduled for Wednesday."
The conferees also "emphasized on the unity of March 14 agenda and tickets for the forthcoming elections," the briefed release said without further elaboration.
The March 14 alliance seems divided over the dialogue expansion with some of its figures "rejecting" the mere discussion of the idea despite the calls from here and there while others seem to be more "open" towards a "limited and reasonable" expansion.
The opposition, however, seems to be more determined than ever to back the expansion as a "serious need" given that the interlocutors are set to discuss national sensitive topics, at the top of which is the country's defensive strategy. In this context, Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar said Tuesday that the head of an opposition parliamentary bloc decided that Wednesday's dialogue session would be the last he attends if the expansion principle was not adopted by the interlocutors.
GEMAYEL CALLS FOR LIVE TELECAST OF NATIONAL DIALOGUE
Meanwhile, Phalange Party leader former President Amin Gemayel called for live telecast of national dialogue, stressing that the public should be able to watch "what is happening in the sessions or at least read the records of the session."
Speaking on Monday during a meeting for his party's political bureau, Gemayel said he was worried about "attempts to deviate the national dialogue table from its main purpose... and focus the conversations on the participation instead of discussing the defense strategy and other political, economic and social issues that concern the people."