Berri Says Ready to Host Dialogue between Yemen Rivals
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri expressed readiness on Sunday to sponsor dialogue between the sides involved in the conflict in Yemen, hailing Iran's wit during the nuclear deal with world powers.
“All sides expressed readiness to engage in dialogue, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Huthis and all involved sides... then what are we waiting for,” Berri's visitors quoted him as saying in comments published in the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat.
He called on Oman to host the dialogue, pointing out that he is “ready to organize the talks in Beirut similarly to the dialogue between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal movement.”
Saudi Arabia aims to defeat the Huthi rebels who seized power in the capital Sanaa in February, as Riyadh feared they would take over the entire country and shift it into the orbit of Shiite Iran, Sunni Saudi's regional rival.
Riyadh has formed the largest-ever coalition of Sunni Arab countries to fight the Huthis, bringing together most of the Gulf monarchies, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan and Egypt.
The speaker also expressed relief over the dialogue between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal, stressing that the talks only focus on the importance of defusing tension between Sunnis and Shiites in Lebanon and the presidential elections.
Dialogue between the two parties had kicked off on December 23, 2014.
The head of the AMAL Movement pointed out that he favors the appointment of new top civil servants in state posts instead of extending the term of current personnel.
However, Berri told his visitors that he “rejects more vacuum at state posts if the rivals couldn't agree on consensual candidates.”
The tenure of Army chief General Jean Qahwaji is set to end in September. His term was extended for two years in September 2013.
The military positions in Lebanon are suffering as a result of the months-long presidential vacuum in light of the parliament's failure to elect a successor for Michel Suleiman. The vacuum also threatens the position of Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous who is set to retire in June.
05 April 2015, 09:34
25
Thank you mr Berri who has been speaker of the parliament for over 25 years, now he wants to mediate in Yamen. The irony he can't even mediate for a president in Lebanon let alone now he is getting involved in other countries affairs just because they are from a shia sect.
My advise to you my friend go back to Africa where you belong you thief.
05 April 2015, 09:39
16
So now that you stole the country away you portray yourself as a peace maker?
05 April 2015, 10:33
27
sad, funny, ironic, depressing when people believe they are the center of the universe. Who are you to sponsor dialogue between Yemenis? ELECT a president now!
05 April 2015, 10:58
15
????!!! If you have time on your hand please solve Lebanon's internal problems first.
05 April 2015, 11:04
14
You can't even get your allies to attend the presidential elections in your own parliament that you lead,what makes you think your in any position to lead talks in Yemen. Clean up your own backyard before butting your nose in other people's business.
05 April 2015, 11:17
15
laughable indeed !! The head of a sectarian militia is positioning himself as a neutral party/moderator between warring factions thousands of kilometers away.
05 April 2015, 18:07
11
Imbecilic situations do arise once in a while, but the cream of imbecilic situations can only come from some Lebanese, and in this context who worst than our achieved king of thieves Nabih Baba Berri to bring it about? He is our erstwhile literally self-imposed Speaker of Parliament, for a small country like Lebanon that is facing a myriad of extremely difficult situations, instead of this chameleonic character giving his 101% honest best self, now he is diverting his attention to a la la land too disconnected to our realities here. What message does that give to the Lebanese people, what message but one of surrealist bitterness, that indeed we have no real leaders but opportunists chronically throwing their weights around us but to remain around for as long as they can. As this farcical theatrics continue to be played on us, the time obviously is highly incumbent to rid ourselves of such imbecilic people whose very presence is the worst insult to our intelligence.
06 April 2015, 03:30
00
Thank you imbecilic rebel-habileh, that must be a real compliment coming from a diminished brain leftovers like you. Get a life, you're sounding cheaper with every new attempt and every new alias.
05 April 2015, 18:23
11
Maroun, Aoun the claoun, the sick opportunist, the demented arriviste will ally to anyone who will promise him the Baabda seat. Yet for a man who couldn't defend Baabda's kitchen, or even as little as one of its knives, how could he ever aspire to defend Baabda, or this country? Just my proof that Aoun is now only a claoun but sick beyond any cure, known or unknown.
