Some thorny issues in Lebanon might be still a long uncertain process after President Michel Suleiman launched a national dialogue for reconciliation on Tuesday, political analysts said.
The reconciliation steps seeking to put an end to the tense security situation in Lebanon have not been fruitful yet, while the thorny issue of Hezbollah arms and the defense strategy seems to be a long uncertain process, Professor Rima Farah at the Lebanese University told Xinhua Wednesday.
A six-point statement, released following the three-hour national dialogue Tuesday, vows to enhance the ongoing reconciliation efforts to put an end to all security tension in Lebanon.
But, there have been a series of security flare-ups before, during and after the dialogue session.
Fighting between pro-government Sunni and Shiite opposition supporters claimed over 100 lives in the past months.
Sunni majority leader MP Saad Hariri launched earlier this month reconciliation initiatives in Tripoli and the Bekka valley, bringing the fighting factions to sign reconciliation documents.
However, despite all efforts and calls, the security situation remains tense in many Lebanese areas, with no signs of improvement soon.
While the dialogue session was taking place Tuesday, fierce clashes erupted in Taalabeya in the Bekka valley overnight, while six bombs exploded in different areas of West Beirut, causing material damages.
At dawn Wednesday, inter-Christian clashes took place in the northern district of Koura, leaving two people killed and three others wounded.
Meanwhile, the issue of Hezbollah weapons is another thorny issue which is topping the dialogue agenda under the title of "national defense strategy".
Pro-government leaders have wanted the dialogue sessions to focus exclusively on a "national defense strategy", as a way to fold the arms of Hezbollah under the Lebanese armed forces (LAF).
In his speech at the opening of the dialogue session, President Suleiman called for adopting a strategy intertwining the LAF and Hezbollah, but he also said that the national defense strategy is a long process.
Professor Farah held that "Hezbollah proved to be a strong military group during May's civil strives, so it does not need to open the assets of its organization to the LAF."
"A defense strategy means that Hezbollah would share its power with the army, is Hezbollah ready for that?" She asked.
Hezbollah leaders, however, have made it clear over again that they will not give up their arms as long as Israel posses a threat to Lebanon.
"Lebanon is always in a defensive position, so it is not a question of who declares war, but a question of defense," Farah said.
Hezbollah has grown powerful that provisions in UN resolutions 1559 and 1701 for disarming the group can not be broached at the talks, a reality acknowledged by majority leader MP Hariri on Monday.
Obviously, a defense strategy is highly unlikely going to emerge from the dialogue sessions in the near future.
However, Lebanese political leaders are keen on reaching a stable security situation, and maintain calm, in order to set up their agendas for the coming parliamentary elections in 2009, which will decide who will be the majority and what can be achieved afterwards.
(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2008)
