Rival Lebanese factions begin dialogue

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Lebanon's deeply divided rival factions have begun national reconciliation talks on the controversial issue of Hizbullah's weapons amid skepticism the dialogue can help bridge differences. Leaders of 14 political factions are meeting at the presidential palace for the talks Tuesday headed by President Michel Suleiman. The dialogue is part of a peace deal reached in Qatar in May that ended sectarian clashes and defused a political crisis. The agenda is to focus on a national defense strategy that could eventually integrate Hizbullah weapons into the army. But on the eve of the talks, it was clear the Hizbullah-led minority coalition and the Western-backed parliamentary majority remain at odds over the fate of Hizbullah's arsenal.