* Lebanese president warns political leaders during first dialogue session against forthcoming threats unless accordance is reached

* President Sleiman tables call for military-based defense strategy, benefit from resistance capabilities

* GCC chief hails Lebanese dialogue

* Spain FM discusses with Lebanese officials local, regional situation

Lebanon's rival factions launched national reconciliation talks to resolve lingering disputes after a crisis that brought the nation to the brink of civil war, with the thorny issue of Hezbollah's weapons topping the agenda. The talks brought together 14 political figures from the country's rival camps who agreed to try to mend fences following a Qatari-brokered deal in May that put an end to a damaging 18-month political crisis.

"Agreeing to dialogue in and of itself means that all subjects are open to discussion," said President Michel Sleiman, who chaired the talks. "The only thing banned here is failure or a reaching a dead-end."

A statement from Sleiman's office released after a three-hour meeting said the next session will be held on November 5, adding that the president would mediate bilateral talks in the meantime to "consolidate the reconciliation"

Sleiman will be heading to the United States to meet US President George W. Bush on September 25. Sleiman is also expected to visit Tehran after his trip to Washington.

The main focus of the dialogue is on forging a defense strategy for Lebanon but there is widespread skepticism that an agreement can be reached

. The participants agreed to "launch talks on a national defense strategy ... to reach a shared vision on this strategy," the statement said.

They also agreed on "putting an end to all security tensions and enhancing the ongoing reconciliation efforts in different areas in Lebanon," the six-point statement added.

Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri, who took part in the talks, had launched reconciliation initiatives in Tripoli and the Bekaa. His efforts in the North led to the signature of a reconciliation agreement, also known as the Tripoli Document

. But there have been heightened security concerns in the country following the killing last week of a pro-Syrian politician in a car bombing and a number of violent incidents

. Six makeshift bombs exploded in a mixed Sunni-Shiite area of southern Beirut and two similar bombs were defused by the Lebanese Army near a church north of the capital. The dialogue participants also agreed to "stay away from all forms of political incitement through the media."

The participants also reiterated their commitment to issues that were agreed on in earlier dialogue sessions.

The dialogue follows on from a 2006 initiative in which the same 14 factions held several round-table meetings in a bid to forge political unity.

Hezbollah refuses to disarm, arguing that its weapons and resistance army are essential to defend the country against Israel.

But members of the March 14 Forces argue that Hezbollah's weapons undermine the authority of the state which should be the sole decision-maker on matters of defense.

In his opening address at the beginning of the talks, Sleiman told the 14 participants that Israel was still the main foreign threat facing Lebanon.

"Our defense strategy should be based on our armed forces and should benefit from the capabilities of the resistance," Sleiman said.

"Such strategy should benefit from all our points of strengths without ignoring diplomacy," he added.

Besides Sleiman, participants in the session were Arab League chief Amr Moussa, Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt, Loyalty to the Resistance MP Mohammad Raad (representing Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah), Hariri, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, former President Amin Gemayel, ministers Mohammad Safadi and Elias Skaff, and MPs Michel Murr, Butros Harb, Ghassan Tueni, and Hagop Pakradounian.

Addressing the dialogue's closed session, Moussa praised Sleiman's call for national dialogue and said he hoped Lebanon would succeed in overcoming is problems

. A senior Hezbollah source praised Sleiman's opening statement at the dialogue session, saying that "Hezbollah adopts every single word in the president's address

." MP Samir Franjieh said the Conference on National Dialogue launched at the Baabda Palace could be the "last chance" to pacify and protect Lebanon against regional threats.

Franjieh made the remark in a radio interview as President Michel Suleiman launched the dialogue, in which 14 leaders took part in addition to Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.

Franjieh said he expects the first round of dialogue to produce "at least a clear agenda" of topics to be tackled in future meetings that are expected to be held after the Fitr holiday.

He praised a reconciliation meeting held on Monday between representatives of the Progressive Socialist Party and Hezbollah, saying it helps in decreasing tension.

The vice president of the Higher Shia Islamic Council called for Christian-Muslim unity to preserve Lebanon against Israeli attempts at inciting chaos.

At an Iftar hosted by the council, Sheikh Abdel Amir Qabalan joined Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani, Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Naim Hassan, and a representative of Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir.

“There is no difference between Sunnis and Shias. We do not differentiate Muslim from Christian. This is a homeland for all, all Lebanese,” Qabalan said.

Qabalan warned that Israel aimed at destroying Lebanon’s sense of community and the unity of its sects and regions.

Sheikh Qabalan also addressed Siniora, saying he had “great confidence” in the PM and requesting he command all armed offices in Beirut be closed.

Qabalan concluded by saying he had hope “in the atmosphere of reconciliation in which we live, which began with the election of His Excellency the President and the formation of a national unity government, to the reconciliation forged by Sheikh Saad Hariri in the North and the Bekaa to the Khaldeh agreement which brought together the Progressive Socialist Party and Hezbollah.”

GCC Secretary General Abdulrahman Al-Attiya welcomed the launch of the national Lebanese dialogue.

In a press release, he said this dialogue came to complete the implementation of the Doha Accord, which began with the election of the president and then the formation of a national unity government.

He expressed optimism that the Lebanese parties would be able to reach an understanding, in order to further boost their country's stability and advancement.

Al-Attiya expressed the content of the Gulf states with this move toward implementing the Doha Accord.

Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri said an end should be put to using the resistance weapons against the state and the political community.

Hariri made the remark at an iftar banquet in the southern provincial capital of Sidon.

Hariri also noted that the concept of "disarming the resistance is over."

"The challenge Lebanon is currently facing is linked to its mere destiny," Hariri said.

Such a challenge, he added, would not end by the session of national dialogue scheduled for Tuesday at the Baabda Palace.

"The dialogue at the Baabda Palace reflects two views, the view of a capable state and the view of a non-capable and weak state," Hariri said.

"Frankly we place no bets on achieving decisive results in the first session," he declared.

"We are looking forward to a serious discussion that draws the final limits to the use of weapons so that they would not be means to threaten the state and other political groups and so that they would not be used in the political and election-related activities," Hariri noted.

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos met Lebanese officials in Beirut on Tuesday as part of a six-day tour of the Middle East to boost ties and express support for peace in the region.

Moratinos met Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora before heading to southern Lebanon where some 1,000 Spanish soldiers make up part of a UN peacekeeping force, deployed in 2006 following the Israeli July war against Lebanon.

Moratinos also held talks with his Lebanese counterpart, Fawzi Salloukh, where the two discussed the latest political developments in Lebanon as well as prospects for future Lebanese-Spanish cooperation and major regional problems.

After meeting Siniora, the Spanish FM said that his country looks forward to strengthening its relations with Lebanon. He revealed that President Michel Suleiman will visit Spain, the first such visit by a Lebanese president in at least 40 years.

Moratinos said Syria's role in Lebanon was "positive," and he described Syrian efforts to build the best possible relations with Lebanon as constructive. "I am satisfied because I can see a positive constructive role from the Syrian side and especially in building up better, solid relations after the agreement of opening two embassies in the two countries," he said.

Moratinos also said his country wanted to increase UNIFIL's role in preserving peace and implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701. He said he had discussed with Siniora the situation in the South and that he thought war was unlikely at present. "I visited Israel recently, and I felt that they have good intentions and want to achieve progress regarding the peace process," Moratinos said, adding that he did not see any real war threat to Lebanon.

Earlier, Moratinos told Lebanese daily As-Safir that Israel would not start any war on Lebanon because winning it would not be easy. He said that the basic message he would deliver to the Lebanese officials was on the need to complete firm and permanent reconciliations.

Leaders of Hezbollah met rival leaders of the Druze Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) on Monday in the first direct talks between the two parties in nearly two years.

"Our hand is extended and our hearts are open and we are willing to take part in any meeting that will promote national unity," Labor Minister and senior Hezbollah leader Mohammed Fneish told reporters after the meeting.

"There will be more communication and more meetings. There won't be any obstacles and gradually, the relationship will return to its normal state," he added, saying lines of communication will remain open.

The meeting came on the eve of a national talks chaired by President Michel Sleiman that will see political figures from the country's opposition and loyalist's camps try to mend fences and address the national defense strategy.

The meeting took place at the home of opposition leader Talal Arslan who heads the Lebanese Democratic Party.

"Today's step does not replace the national dialogue, but it is a serious step to open channels that were severed between Hezbollah and the Progressive Socialist Party," Arslan said.

A senior leader in his party, Saleh Aridi, was assassinated in a car bombing last week in his hometown of Baysur.

"We agreed to establish a safety network... to maintain coexistence and the social fabric of these areas," said PSP member and Minister of State Wael Bou Faour after Monday's meeting.

Monday's talks were the first direct political links between Hezbollah and the PSP since November 2006.

In May, a security committee was established between the two sides.