Berri Supports Decision for Cabinet to Meet to Tackle Vital Issues

Speaker Nabih Berri expressed all-out support for the cabinet to hold a session to tackle the delicate situation in the country and the petroleum file.

“I don't want to precede the matter before I hold talks with (Caretaker Prime Minister Najib) Miqati, but in principle, I support the holding of a cabinet session,” Berri told As Safir newspaper on Monday.

He noted that any extraordinary cabinet session should tackle the petroleum file and the security situation in an attempt to eliminate the tension and maintain stability, in particular, in the northern city of Tripoli.

Concerning the cabinet formation process, Berri told the newspaper that the 6-9-9 formula is in favor of the March 14 alliance.

“It's enough that (Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam) sympathizes with them, which is an enough guarantee for them to convince them to participate in any cabinet line-up,” Berri said.

Premier-designate Tammam Salam was appointed in April but has so far been unable to put together a government over the conditions and counter conditions set by the rivals parties.

“They have no excuse to reject the this formula unless they don't have the freedom to take a decision,” Berri added.

Asked about Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea's statements that the speaker is demanded to hold a parliamentary session to ensure that a new president is elected within constitutional time-frame and to call on his Development and Liberation bloc lawmakers to attend the session, Berri said that his “MPs participate in all the session that he calls for.”

He wondered why the other blocs don't attend the sessions that he had called for, expressing hope that they would attend the session set to be held on December 18.

Suleiman's six-year term ends in May but there are fears that the differences between the March 8 and 14 camps would lead to a vacuum in the country's top post.

The session that Berri has been calling for for the past few months is set to discuss 45 items on its agenda, the same session that has been boycotted for six times since July over differences on whether the parliament can convene amid a resigned government or not.