Berri says 'won't wait forever' as Geagea, Gemayel blast dialogue

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who had called for a seven-day dialogue, following which open presidential election sessions would be held, said those who rejected his call don't have any convincing reasons or justifications.

"The only explanation is that they don't want to elect a president," Berri said in remarks published Thursday in Tehran-based al-Wifaq Newspaper.

"I am waiting for an awakening of their conscience, but I will not wait forever," Berri said, claiming that parliament is divided and cannot elect a president without dialogue and consensus.

Crisis-hit Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun's term ended in October last year, with neither of the two main blocs -- Hezbollah and its opponents -- having the majority required to elect one in a first round of voting where the winner needs two-thirds majority, or 86 votes from the 128 members of parliament.

The blocs opposed to Hezbollah and its allies have refused to take part in talks to agree on a head of state before proceeding with a vote, preferring to rely on the democratic process.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Wednesday that the "Axis of Defiance" has been obstructing the vote in all the previous sessions, by leaving before the second round of voting -- where the winner only requires 65 ballots.

Geagea revealed that he had indirectly held a dialogue with Berri last year to reach a consensual candidate, but that the dialogue led to nowhere.

"They pretend that neither camp has the majority required to elect a president. If that's true why were they leaving after the first round of voting in every single session?" Geagea asked, accusing Hezbollah and its allies of trying to impose a candidate.

Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel also accused Hezbollah of trying to impose a candidate and to control political decision-making in Lebanon. "We can not sit with those who threaten and kill," Gemayel said after meeting French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian who is visiting Lebanon to discuss the presidential impasse with Lebanese leaders.