Lebanese President postpones national dialogue round

President of the Republic Michel Sleiman, abrogated the new round of national dialogue due on January 7, to a date to be announced later. Addressing Christmas and New Year well-wishers at Baabda Palace today, the President commended Druze leader Walid Jumblatt's reconciliation effort between Maronites and Druzes who fought it out in a bloody confrontation in the Shouf village of Breeh back in 1983. Displaced Maronite villagers were duly repatriated and Druze compensated for vacating village properties to their rightful owners. President Sleiman dubbed the reconciliation as "a final placement of the lid on the conflict and restoring of unity between all mountain residents." Among Baabda Palace itinerant visitors have been M.P. Jean O'gassapian, former Aoun assistant Isam Bou-Jamra, former cabinet minister Karim Pakradoni and Salah Hunein who reportedly discussed with the president an array of current domestic and regional affairs.