BEIRUT: Officials from the Progressive Socialist Party and the Lebanese Forces met Thursday as part of Walid Jumblatt’s ongoing efforts to reach out to the various political groups.

The meeting at Maarab, north of Beirut, took place between a PSP delegation headed by the party’s new secretary-general, Zafer Nasser, and a delegation from the Lebanese Forces headed by its secretary-general, Imad Wakim.

Maarab, about 25 kilometers north of Beirut, is the headquarters of LF leader Samir Geagea.

The two sides discussed developments in the region and their repercussions on Lebanon, the PSP said on its website.

The PSP and LF officials stressed the importance of dialogue.

“Dialogue is the only way to address all the problems among the Lebanese,” Nasser said after the meeting, “particularly during the period Lebanon is passing through, amid tension in light of the changes and transformations in the region and their repercussions on Lebanon."

Wakim, in turn, highlighted the significance of such meetings “especially as Lebanon is going through a crisis that requires dialogue to reach common ground and build the Lebanese state.”

The PSP and Future Movement agreed during a November meeting to create a joint committee to strengthen “coordination” between the two sides in what appeared to be the development of closer ties between the former allies.

Ties between Jumblatt and his former allies soured somewhat following the collapse of then-Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s national unity Cabinet in January.

Jumblatt, however, who is known for his pragmatism, has shown a growing willingness to collaborate with Hariri on several issues, most recently calling on the Future Movement leader to help in ending the crisis in neighboring Syria.

Jumblatt has also expressed views on divisive issues in the country that are in line with those of lawmakers of the March 14 coalition, namely over the issue of the need for Lebanon to fund its share of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s budget.

Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah has denied any form of rift between his party and Jumblatt. Nasrallah said in October that the relationship between Hezbollah and its allies was good.