President Michel Suleiman chaired on Monday a largely-boycotted national dialogue session, which called for continued talks on the country’s defense strategy and stressed the importance of the implementation of the Taef accord. The meeting was the last before his term expires on May 25.

 

Several officials did not attend the all-party talks, including Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun, Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, Marada movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, the head of the Syrian Social National Party MP Assaad Hardan and MP Talal Arslan, who heads the Lebanese Democratic Party. Aoun telephoned Suleiman ahead of the session, informing him that he would not be able to attend for personal reasons. The closing statement stressed the importance of keeping the all-party talks as a way to avoid conflicts. [Link]