Berri Hopes his Policy Statement Proposal Would Gain Ground

Speaker Nabih Berri has said a proposal made by him could salvage the government, hoping that Premier Tammam Salam would not resign before Monday.

In remarks to As Safir daily published on Friday, Berri said: “If there were good intentions and readiness to reach a settlement, then this proposal should be accepted by the March 14” camp.

The Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance wants to legitimize Hizbullah's arms but March 14 is demanding that the resistance be put under the state's authority.

The speaker, who is also the head of the Amal movement allied with Hizbullah, hoped that Salam would allow more time for consultations on the resistance clause of the policy statement.

A seven-member ministerial committee tasked with drafting the blueprint has until Monday to complete its work or else the cabinet would be considered resigned and President Michel Suleiman would have to call for binding parliamentary consultations to name a new premier.

According to As Safir, Berri's proposal that was backed by Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat, a centrist, calls for adopting the following statement: “Out of the state's responsibility to preserve Lebanon's sovereignty, independence, unity and safety, the government stresses its duty to seek to liberate the rest of the occupied territories with all legitimate and possible means.”

The proposal “stresses that the resistance is an honest expression of the right of the Lebanese people in liberating their land and defending their dignity to confront Israeli aggression and greed.”

The statement adds the right of “holding onto their (Lebanese people's) waters and oil.”

Salam has threatened to resign before Monday to protest the failure of the rival March 8 and 14 alliances to resolve the deadlock on the resistance clause.

The 24-member cabinet met on Thursday but failed to reach a solution on the row. Another session is scheduled to take place on Friday.