Speaker Nabih Berri revealed that the dialogue between Hezbollah and the Future Movement is expected to take place before the end of the year, noting that he is waiting to receive a draft agenda from both parties, his visitors quoted him as saying.
According to as-Safir daily, Berri observed positive changes in the stance of the Future Movement, which has confirmed that the issue of the Resistance's weapons and the file of the Syrian crisis will not be included in the dialogue's agenda.
"A dialogue does not need preconditions," Berri was cited as saying, adding that he offered to host the dialogue in Ain al-Tineh, or at the Parliament, or any place chosen by the parties.
Al-Akhbar newspaper reported that Health Minister Wael Abou Faour is the one who's taking charge of the negotiations with the Islamic State through a mediator from Arsal, after the terrorist organization rejected the mediation of the Qatari envoy Ahmad al-Khatib.
The daily added that IS has imposed impossible demands to release a number of hostages, demands the Lebanese government cannot approve.
In this regard, well-informed Syrian sources said that the gunmen are imposing impossible preconditions during each deal, as they present an inaccurate list of names of prisoners to be released.
Deputy Simon Abi Ramia stressed that head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun is not maneuvering, but is truly in the process of escalating measures, noting that this does not mean resignation from the Parliament.
In a statement to al-Akhbar daily, Abi Ramia pointed out that the final position will not be announced before the Constitutional Council issues its decision regarding the appeal presented against the extension of the Parliament's mandate.
An-Nahar daily reported that Prime Minister Tammam Salam delivered a speech during Thursday's cabinet session, whereby he tackled the swap deal accomplished by Hezbollah to free a hostage from Syria, noting that this matter has outraged the relatives of the abducted troops.
In this context, Salam stressed that the cabinet is following up on the negotiations conducted to release the Lebanese hostages, adding that the efforts exerted in this regard remain in a difficult stage.