Lebanon’s political circles await President Michel Aoun’s decision over the fate of the Baabda gathering, which was scheduled on Thursday, in the wake of the former premiers’ announcement that they would boycott the meeting.
On Monday, the former prime ministers, including Fouad Siniora, Tammam Salam, Saad Hariri and Najib Mikati, described Aoun’s invitation for a “national dialogue” meeting at the Baabda Palace as a “waste of time”, saying: “The invitation and its declared purpose appear to be misplaced and constitute a waste of the time of the host and the invitees.”
“The decision comes as a clear objection to the authority’s inability to devise solutions to save Lebanon, which is under threat of total collapse,” Siniora said following the former premiers’ meeting.
In remarks also on Monday, Aoun noted that the dialogue was aimed at “fortifying civil peace… in order to avoid slipping into the worst…”
“The consensual system lacks democracy in the absence of the so-called minority and majority,” the president added.
Sources in the Lebanese presidency told Asharq Al-Awsat that they expect to start receiving replies to Aoun’s invitation as of Tuesday.
“In light of the responses, the decision would be taken on whether to proceed with the meeting or to postpone it for some considerations,” the sources noted.
As for the agenda, the sources indicated that the invitation that was sent to the parties “is clear in terms of the topics that will be discussed, which will mainly include issues related to security, stability and civil peace.”
Responding to a question about whether boycotting the dialogue was an attempt to target and isolate the presidency, Mikati said: “We respect the top positions and there is no decision to boycott, but we cannot accept holding such meetings without knowing beforehand the agenda and what might be issued. The situation in the country is known and what matters to the people is economic issues. Because poverty and hunger knock on the doors. ”
