Thursday, May 15, 2008

Six-point Plan in Beirut

The Daily Star - Politics - Dialogue to resume in Doha under Arab League watch

The Qatari-brokered, Arab League May 15 plan:

BEIRUT: The efforts of the Arab League ministerial committee visiting Lebanon proved successful Thursday, with the announcement of a six-point plan to implement the Arab initiative on electing a head of state as well as containing recent clashes throughout Lebanon.

In light of the discussions held by the committee with leaders of the country's feuding political factions, while taking into consideration the Lebanese Constitution and the Taif Agreement, the following agreement has been reached:

1. Things would return to the state they were in prior to the events which occurred after May 5. This should include:

l Welcoming the government's decision to accept the army command's proposal regarding the two decisions related to the airport security apparatus and Hizbullah's telecommunications network.

l The immediate ending of all armed presence and the complete withdrawal of militants from the streets, and opening all roads as well as the Rafik Hariri International Airport and the Beirut seaport.

l Life returning to normal and the Lebanese Armed Forces being responsible for preserving security and ensuring the functioning of public and private institutions.

2. Agreeing on resuming national dialogue between the different leaders and working on building trust between all parties according to the following agenda:

l The formation of a national unity government

l The drafting of a new electoral law for the 2009 elections

The agreement on these two items would be followed by the ending of the sit-in in downtown Beirut on the eve of electing General Michel Suleiman as president.

3. After declaring this agreement and implementing its first item, dialogue would start in Doha on May 16 under the auspices of the Arab League and will not end before reaching a settlement.

4. All parties would commit to not using arms or violence in a bid to achieve political gains.

5. Starting a dialogue on enhancing the authority of the Lebanese state on all Lebanese territory and organizing its relations with the country's different political parties in a way that guarantees the security of the state and the people.

Such dialogue will be launched in Doha and will be resumed under the auspices of the newly elected president and the Arab League.

6. All political leaders would commit to halt mutual accusations of treason and end political and sectarian incitement immediately.

All points of this agreement are equally binding.

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