Marada Movement head Sleiman Frangieh (R) met with President Aoun to discuss his calls for a national dialogue today, but decided that his party will not participate. (Credit: Twitter/@LBpresidency)
BEIRUT — The head of the Marada Movement, Sleiman Frangieh, announced Tuesday that his party will not participate in the national dialogue advocated by President Michel Aoun, according to the presidency’s Twitter account.
Here’s what we know:
• On Dec. 27, Aoun called for an “urgent national dialogue” to address three issues: expanded administrative and financial decentralization, a defense strategy to protect Lebanon and a financial and economic recovery plan that includes essential reforms and the equitable distribution of financial sector losses.
• After meeting with Aoun in Baabda, Frangieh said “we are people of dialogue, but it should be between two sides and not one, so we wished them good luck and we will not participate in the dialogue.”
• Earlier today, Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, headed by Mohamad Raad, announced that it is “in support” of the national dialogue called for by the president. The leader of the Lebanese Democratic Party Talal Arslan also announced Tuesday that he will participate in the dialogue. “The country is going through a systemic crisis and we will participate in the dialogue,” Arslan said via his Twitter account.
• On his end, Future Movement head and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Jan. 7 that he does not want to participate in the dialogue because such a conference “should take place after the parliamentary elections.” These elections are scheduled to take place on May 15.