Lebanon's rival factions begin reconcilliation talks

Beirut: Lebanon's president called on rival leaders to unite on Tuesday at the first session of talks on the controversial issue of Hezbollah's weapons.

Leaders of 14 political factions met at the presidential palace for the talks headed by President Michel Sulaiman.

"The alternatives...call for grave concern and fear for the future," Sulaiman said at the opening session.

The dialogue is part of a peace deal reached in Qatar in May that ended sectarian clashes and defused a long running political crisis.

"We must be unified," said Sulaiman, whose election was secured as part of the Doha agreement.

The agenda is to focus on a national defense strategy that could eventually integrate Hezbollah weapons into the army.

But on the eve of the talks, it was clear the Hezbollah-led minority coalition and the Western-backed parliamentary majority remain at odds over the fate of Hezbollah's arsenal.

"I am completely confident that we can adopt a strategy that protects Lebanon based on our armed forces and benefiting from the resources and capabilities of the resistance," Sulaiman said, referring to Hezbollah. He did not elaborate.

Mohammad Raad, a senior Hezbollah lawmaker who will represent the Shiite Muslim group at the talks, implicitly renewed Hezbollah's rejection of demands to disarm.

"Defending ourselves is a right that does not require a decision. This issue can be debated in theory but the answer is clear and has already been decided," he said on Sunday.