Lebanese President Michel Aoun stressed Monday on the importance of holding the dialogue meeting he had called for, stressing the need for such in overcoming political disputes.
Sources close to the presidency had previously told Asharq Al-Awsat that Aoun contacted heads of parties and parliamentary blocs to invite them to bilateral meetings to discuss the possibility to hold all-party talks.
On Monday, the Amal Movement, which is headed by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, announced it will attend the dialogue.
This came in light of disputes between the Shiite party and Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement over several files, mainly the investigation in the 2020 Beirut port explosion.
Several leaders, including former Prime Minister and head of the al-Mustaqbal Movement Saad Hariri, have refused to participate in the talks.
“With regard to our invitation to dialogue, positive reactions came first, but some reservations began to emerge,” Aoun said while meeting Sheikh Al-Aql of the Unitarian Druze sect, Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna.
He said the program of this dialogue meeting is based on three main points of contention in Lebanon
According to the president, the meeting must first tackle economic recovery
Political leaders should also discuss the extended administrative and financial decentralization.
It must also address the national defense strategy amid regional instability.
