BEIRUT: The much-anticipated talks between Hezbollah and the Future Movement will take place soon, Speaker Nabih Berri’s advisor said Monday.
“Don’t anticipate things on the issue of dialogue between Hezbollah and Future,” Ali Hamdan told a local radio station, while stressing that “things are moving on the right track.”
He said both leaders Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and Future Movement leader Saad Hariri have announced their intention to hold dialogue.
“Preparations for dialogue are in full swing, and in my opinion, I don’t think it will be long before a dialogue is launched between Hezbollah and Future,” Hamdan said.
He said efforts were focused on achieving the “best start for such a dialogue.”
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the Future Movement should take time to prepare for dialogue.
“We cannot say whether progress has been made or not in this respect,” Siniora told local newspaper As-Safir, adding that Hariri is likely to give some indication as to the steps taken towards dialogue.
“We are still working on the dialogue issue with Speaker Berri and we are looking at this matter quietly,” Siniora said, while pointing to the presence of fundamental disputes between Hezbollah and Future.
“But given the rising risk of escalation [in violence], we must find a way to address some specific problems in order to calm the internal atmosphere."
Hariri to launch 'limited' crisis initiative: report
BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri will launch a limited initiative to address certain aspects of the political crisis, a local newspaper said Monday.
Al-Joumhouria, citing knowledgeable sources, said Hariri was getting ready for a trip to Paris within the coming hours for preparatory meetings in the wake of a “limited initiative” the former premier plans to launch to tackle some aspects of the Lebanese crisis.
The sources said Hariri would meet a number of aides and advisors as well as media figures in the French capital ahead of his Thursday appearance on Marcel Ghanem’s Kalam Al-Nas talk show.
They said Hariri will likely hold a lengthy meeting with former President Michel Sleiman, who will travel from the Vatican to Paris for talks with French President Francois Hollande Thursday, hours before the television interview.
Meanwhile, local daily Al-Liwaa quoted a Future Movement source as saying Hariri would clarify “many sticking points.”
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