Sleiman postpones his defense strategy proposal due to Berri's absence

The National Dialogue session, headed by President Michel Sleiman at the presidential summer residence in Beiteddine ended and a new session was appointed for 20 September.

Commenting on March 14’s call for changing the government, President Sleiman stressed that there are principles to change a government and this issue cannot be discussed during national dialogue.

The dialogue committee said it will form a team to follow up on the issue of the Lebanese hostages in Syria.

Lebanese President Michel Sleiman presided over a new dialogue session on Thursday at his Beiteddine’s summer residence to discuss a single-item agenda, namely the national defense strategy including Hezbollah’s arms.    

MP Sleiman Frangieh and Speaker Nabih Berri did not attend the session after earlier reports pointed out that Future bloc leader Saad Hariri and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea will be the only absentees.

Meanwhile, Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun as well as Hezbollah decided to participate in the session.     

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel arrived in Beiteddine to discuss the security developments with different parties. 

Berri’s media office explained that the speaker’s absence from the session is related to the location and other circumstances surrounding the dialogue. 

In this context, Sleiman postponed his defense strategy proposal during the dialogue session due to Berri’s absence. The President reportedly called the Speaker of his decision to postpone his proposal on a defense strategy due to his absence.

In turn, sources close to MP Sleiman Frangieh told LBCI that the dialogue “makes no difference”.   

Sleiman, PM Najib Mikati and National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblatt held side talks ahead of the session.   

Sleiman confirmed to reporters that, according to Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour, the 11 Lebanese hostages in Syria are “safe”.

Following the session, MP Michel Murr said that the atmosphere of the session was clam and they discussed the latest security developments in the country, “we believe in Lebanon”, he added.