Middle East News
Hezbollah ready for dialogue as normality returns to Beirut (Roundup)
By DPA
May 15, 2008, 14:07 GMT

Beirut - The pro-Iranian Shiite movement Hezbollah said Thursday it was ready for dialogue with the Western-backed ruling majority to safeguard the unity of the government, but last minute obstacles delayed efforts by an Arab League delegation.

The Arab League delegation, who has been holding talks with Lebanese rivals since Wednesday to end the Lebanese crisis, faced last minute obstacles and delayed a scheduled press conference, a source close to the delegation told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

'The delegation's delay came due to differences over guarantees that Hezbollah weapons would not be deployed domestically,' the source said without elaborating.

He said that Qatari prime minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Jassim Hamad al Thani and Arab League Secretray General Amr Musa were were in telephone contact with Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah to try to get guarantees for the ruling majority.

Earlier, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naeem Kassem said 'we should solve the issue inside the Lebanese arena and are ready for dialogue to end the Lebanese crisis.'

'We want dialogue to save Lebanon's independence, integrity and institutions,' he said.

He praised the Lebanese army and vowed that Hezbollah arms would not be used internally.

'No one should ever think in this country that he can rule the country alone,' Kassem told reporters.

Kassem said that Hezbollah recognizes 'the other' and demanded that the other party to the conflict recognize the Shiite group.

'Revoking the two government decisions was the key to returning to the previous status quo,' Kassem said.

'We want to work hand in hand in order to build Lebanon. Neither American intervention nor external meddling is in the interest of Lebanon,' Kassem added.

He stressed that Hezbollah backs the election of Lebanese army commander Michel Suleiman as president of the country.

Meanwhile, the Arab delegation who arrived in Lebanon Wednesday to try to end the crisis in the country, said it expected to announce talks in Qatar to resolve the political crisis that has paralyzed Lebanon for 18 months.

The Arab delegation held talks Thursday with Hezbollah leaders in Beirut's southern suburbs along with House Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier Fouad Seniora.

According to a source close to the delegation, 'the delegation will announce the opening of Beirut Airport and port at the same time.'

'They will call for the removal of all armed militants from the streets immediately,' the source said.

The source said that when there is an agreement through the dialogue on a new election law and the formation of the new national government, the sit-in in downtown Beirut near the governmental palace would be ended.

In December 2006, opposition factions started a sit-in in downtown Beirut aimed at toppling the government of Seniora.

The source stressed that if there is agreement through dialogue in Qatar in the coming two days, the election of consensus candidate Michel Suleiman as president will take place.

Suleiman, a current army commander, has been agreed on as consensus candidate for the seat, which has been vacant since former president Emile Lahoud stepped down in November 23, 2007.

The latest tension between the opposition led by Hezbollah and the Western-backed ruling majority led to six days of bloody clashes in which at least 82 people were killed and more than 250 wounded.

The government cancelled late Wednesday its decision to probe the Hezbollah communications network and sack the airport security chief Colonel Wafik Choukair and left it in the hands of the army.

This was one of Hezbollahs's main conditions before it would put an end to the civil disobedience and open all roads in the capital and its outskirts.

The roadblocks, including barricades on the airport road, are expected to be lifted on Thursday after the Arab League delegation, headed by the prime minister of Qatar, announces an agreement on the talks to be held in Doha.

The delegation's talks focused on the dispute over how to share power in the cabinet and the details of a new parliamentary election law.

The dispute is seen as a struggle for influence between Syria, which backs the opposition, and Saudi Arabia, which supports the ruling coalition.

In the meantime, Lebanese army troops were seen deploying around Beirut International Airport in preparation for opening the airport road after forced closure by the opposition.

Lebanon's national carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA) said Thursday its planes would start landing at Beirut's airport at midnight Thursday.