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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Leb: Doha talks to be held without Hezbollah leader |
| 2008-05-18 |
| (AKI) - Crucial talks to resolve Lebanon's political crisis were to take place in the Qatari capital, Doha, on Friday night without Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the radical Shia opposition group, Hezbollah. The talks were to be held on Friday night to seek a resolution to the violent conflict that has divided the country for the past week. Nasrallah was reportedly staying away from the talks because of security concerns. The pro-western government and Lebanon's opposition have agreed to discuss the proposed election of army chief Michel Suleiman as president of the republic in a bid to unite the country. The rival political factions were planning to discuss drafting a new electoral law, banning the use of weapons for political aims, and withdrawing armed militias from the streets. Delegates from the government and the opposition led by Hezbollah flew from Lebanon in separate aeroplanes. Arab League chief Amr Moussa will attend the talks to be hosted by Qatari prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani. Arab mediators, led by al-Thani, concluded a deal on Thursday to end the fierce fighting, which exacerbated sectarian tensions between Shia loyal to Hezbollah and Druze and Sunni followers of the ruling coalition. The deal brokered after two days of talks in the Lebanese capital, includes the lifting of a Hezbollah-led blockade on Beirut's sea and airports, the end of armed militiamen in the streets and a pledge not to use weapons to settle domestic political differences. |
| Posted by:Fred |