The longtime animosity between Christian rivals Samir Geagea and Suleiman Franjieh may finally be amenable to resolution. Contacts planned for next week, however, will be decisive.

While Marada Movement stressed that the "real" path to Christian-Christian reconciliation passes through a meeting that groups, in addition to Franjieh and Geagea, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement Gen. Michel Aoun, LF sources insisted talks should be bilateral.

A Marada source said the movement has no problem with Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel taking part in the reunion "as long as the meeting is held in Baabda Palace under the auspices of President Michel Suleiman, and not in Bkirki."

"True there is a historical dispute between the Lebanese Forces and us, but we are ready to meet them at any time provided such a meeting does not take place in isolation of the FPM, which is considered the Christians' political authority," one Marada source said.

"The problem with the Lebanese Forces is that it doesn't want to recognize this fact," he added.

A Lebanese Forces source, in turn, insisted the Geagea-Franjieh meeting should be bilateral.

The source clarified that Aoun's presence would force the LF to cling to its Zghorta ally MP Nayla Moawad "to maintain balance."

The daily An Nahar, meanwhile, said Sunday that Aoun's participation as a Marada condition was not yet determined since the FPM leader does not consider himself "concerned" in this reconciliation.

Sources said it was likely that a bilateral meeting between Geagea and Franjieh would take place at Baabda Palace if Aoun showed unwillingness to attend.

The Maronite League also stressed that reconciling Geagea and Franjieh is the first step in a move to achieve intra-Christian reconciliation.