Representatives of Lebanon's many political factions are meeting later to begin dialogue on the country's future.

The talks, chaired by President Michel Suleiman, were agreed as part of a peace deal after gun battles brought Lebanon to the brink of civil war.

Supporters of the pro-Western Lebanon helicopter crash 'tragic' ...
Israel buries soldiers returned in prisoner swap ... government were engaged in bitter street fighting with members of the pro-Syrian opposition group Hezbollah.

Sporadic clashes have continued in the hours leading up to the meeting.

Separate reconciliation talks have already been held between representatives of pro-Syrian Hezbollah and the pro-Western Druze Progressive Socialist party led by Walid Jumblatt.

The meeting on Monday came five days after a senior member of a rival Druze party allied with Hezbollah was killed in a car bombing.

On Sunday night six makeshift bombs exploded in the Corniche al-Mazraa area of central Beirut, causing damage to cars and shops but no casualties.

Tuesday's session is expected to lay the groundwork for a series of meetings between the various rival factions.

One of the main issues is expected to be the future of weapons held by Hezbollah.

(BBC)

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