Suleiman to Stress Importance of Dialogue during Presidential Iftar

President Michel Suleiman is throwing on Wednesday an Iftar banquet for Lebanese officials, spiritual leaders and foreign diplomats during which he is expected to reiterate the need for dialogue.

Media reports said Suleiman’s speech will focus on the latest developments in the region and the national dialogue session that was postponed to August 16 after the March 14 opposition coalition boycotted this week’s all-party talks.

The president will most likely urge officials to preserve the national dialogue at Baabda palace as a place of unity among all Lebanese and of discourse to resolve all controversial issues.

Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali is expected to be among the guests at the presidential palace despite the diplomat’s criticism of Suleiman’s call to hand him a letter of complaint on Syria’s violations of Lebanese territories.

Ali said Monday that Syria should instead be filing complaints because its border posts are being attacked from Lebanese territories.