Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam today opened a fresh round of reconciliation talks in Damascus, Syria, involving representatives of Lebanon’s main Christian and Moslem militias, aimed at ending the 10-year-old civil war.
Militia officials said the representatives returned to the conference table after a night of marathon private meetings in Beirut and seprate talks in Damascus with Khaddam — the architect of the Syrian-backed Lebanese peace process.
Nabih Berri, leader of the Shiite Moslem militia, Amal, and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, chief of the Progressive Socialist Party militia, left for Damascus Wednesday after seven hours of talks among representatives of their militias and the Christian Lebanese Forces in the Syrian capital.
The militia leaders departed amid the wave of kidnappings of Christians in west Beirut and sporadic mortar, rocket and machine-gun exchanges along the front lines in Beirut and the Shouf mountains east of the capital.
Police said they were still searching for a Lebanese cameraman and driver for NBC television, who were believed kidnapped Monday on the Green Line battle zone, which separates Beirut into Moslem and Christian sectors and is controlled by several militias.
State-run Beirut radio said the Christian militia delegation to the lengthy talks in Damascus Wednesday returned to Beirut and briefed Lebanese Forces commander Elie Hobeika on new proposals presented by Moslem representatives.
Political sources said the Moslem proposals were aimed at countering amendments proposed Nov. 2 by the Lebanese Forces. The Christian proposals, some relating to presidential powers, prompted a six-week stalemate in the talks.
No details of the proposed changes were given. After objections from veteran Christian political leaders, the Lebanese Forces has demanded that the Christian president keep some of his extraordinary powers.
