Franjieh Lashes Out at Opposition after Talks with PSP Delegation

Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh stressed on Tuesday that he is ready to attend any dialogue session that President Michel Suleiman calls for, accusing the March 14 opposition of forcing its conditions on the rest of the factions.

“Dialogue is the only solution to any crisis and the other team wants to tailor the solutions according to its interests,” Franjieh said following talks with a Progressive Socialist Party delegation tasked with discussing with rival parties an initiative by Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat.

Franjieh pointed out that the affairs of the citizens became minor issues to some officials, who prioritized Hizbullah's arms and the developments in Syria and the region.

He called on Lebanese foes to reach consensus over matters linked to the people's daily lives.

Asked if he would accept to tackle the arms of Hizbullah during the all-party talks, the Marada leader said: “Everything is open to discussion... But we should focus on the priorities.”

Jumblat's initiative, which he issued in November, focuses on the need for the return of all political powers to dialogue, ending any boycott, and halting the tense media exchanges between the rival factions.

For his part, National Struggle Front Minister Ghazi al-Aridi said that the visit to Franjieh is a complementary step to all the previous discussions with Lebanese officials to end the political deadlock.

“We can organize our political differences and find common ground, which is the aim behind this initiative, in addition to resuming the dialogue among all parties,” Aridi told reporters.

The minister said that the delegation didn't reach a final result yet as it will meet with several other politicians during the upcoming days.

“We are looking for one common idea that they would all agree on as we believe that dialogue is the only solution to all our problems,” Aridi said.

The assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch chief Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan on October 19 deepened the gap between the March 14 and 8 alliances.

The opposition boycotted political activity with its foes after it blamed Prime Minister Najib Miqati's government for covering up the crime, calling on it to step down and saying it would not sit at the same dialogue table with Hizbullah.

The PSP delegation has so far met with President Michel Suleiman, Miqati, Speaker Nabih Berri, and Hizbullah, Jamaa Islamiya, Lebanese Democratic Party and Lebanese Forces officials.