Berri Hopes New Cabinet would Meet Challenges, Lead to National Dialogue

Speaker Nabih Berri hoped that the new cabinet would receive parliament's vote of confidence to face many challenges, including terrorism, and would pave way for the resumption of the national dialogue.

“Lebanon now has a government which we hope it would complete its policy statement and receive parliament's vote of confidence to confront many challenges,” Berri said during a dinner banquet thrown in his honor by Lebanon's Ambassador to Kuwait.

Berri cited among the challenges the situation of Syrian and Palestinian refugees, and terrorism, saying security forces and the Lebanese army would not stop arresting suspects and thwarting terrorist plots.

Among the other challenges are oil exploration and limiting the effects of the economic and social crises on the Lebanese.

“The formation of the government should limit all tension, resolve political disputes and open the door for the resumption of the national dialogue,” Berri said in his speech.

He expressed satisfaction that the cabinet was made in Lebanon away from the agenda of the region and the international community.

Priority should be to strengthen the Lebanese army, the speaker said, hoping that the first decree to be approved by the government and referred to parliament would be the increase in the number of military personnel.

He also set a priority the approval of a new and modern electoral law.

“Lebanon is about to turn into a terror battlefield and into a demarcation line for the Syrian crisis,” he warned. “The truth is that all of Lebanon is targeted through its existence, army, people, resistance, capital and its suburbs in addition to all its political personalities.”

But he stressed that “Lebanon will not turn into a funeral” and “the will of the Lebanese to consolidate civil peace will emerge victorious.”

Berri arrived in Kuwait on Saturday and held talks with Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim and Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah.