01 April 2006
Editorial
The heated exchange between the president and ministers at Lebanon's Cabinet meeting Thursday exposed the flimsiness of the civilities that leaders recently exchanged during the country's national dialogue. The public battle also demonstrated how tensions among leaders have turned what ought to be an opportunity for open discussion and compromise into a dialogue of the deaf.
There is no dearth of issues both major and minor that Lebanese leaders can discuss, including the economy, foreign policy, health, education, social welfare and national defense. And there is also no shortage of experienced and intelligent leaders to debate these issues. However, what is noticeably absent from the national dialogue is expertise.
As competent and qualified as Lebanese leaders may be, the practice of holding meetings is not an innate skill. It is a science that has evolved from the first campfire gatherings of pre-history to the present day, where we have books about conference management, companies that specialize in holding meetings, and even computer software for planning and holding such events.
For a generation, Lebanese leaders did not even try to hold a meeting on the scale of the national dialogue. And even within their own political parties, which are often little more than personality cults, open discussion and debate has been limited. Without any practice, Lebanese leaders cannot be expected to have mastered the techniques that will produce a successful national dialogue.
The failure that we see now is not a failure of intent. All Lebanese leaders have expressed their hopes that the national dialogue will succeed. But perhaps it is time for Lebanese leaders to reach out to gain assistance in this regard. The King Abdel-Aziz Center for National Dialogue, which has been actively promoting public dialogue in Saudi Arabia since 2003, would be a good place to seek advice about producing a results-oriented conference among Lebanese leaders. Seeking Saudi support for the national dialogue will serve two purposes: it will restore Saudi engagement in Lebanon and will allow Lebanese leaders to obtain much-needed expertise.
Seeking Saudi advice will also help limit the chances of the dialogue's failure. And with so much riding on the outcome of the dialogue, Lebanese leaders , who hold the future of their country in their hands, cannot afford to leave any stone unturned in their efforts to reach a national consensus.
