Suleiman in Shouf on Friday, Jumblat Visits Beiteddine Saturday to Stress Coexistence

President Michel Suleiman is scheduled on Friday to visit the Shouf Cedar nature reserve and later make a family visit to Mukhtara and stay for dinner at Druze leader Walid Jumblat's residence.

Jumblat, in return, would visit Suleiman at this summer presidential palace in Beiteddine on Saturday. An Nahar daily said that the Progressive Socialist Party leader asked current and former MPs in the Mountains to accompany him.

Lebanese Democratic Party leader MP Talal Arslan and lawmaker Naji Gharious are expected to meet Jumblat in Beiteddine in a step aimed at sending a message that the people of the Mountains are united despite political differences.

The PSP media office has said in a statement that Jumblat's visit to Beiteddine is aimed at "stressing the unity of the Mountains and coexistence."

Jumblat's meeting with Suleiman is also aimed at "backing the president at his sensitive stage, which requires unity and consolidation of civil peace," the statement added.

Gharious told Voice of Lebanon radio on Friday that Jumblat would stress to Suleiman ongoing efforts to restore calm in the country.