Berri: We Are Keen on Maintaining Friendship with Aoun

Speaker Nabih Berri voiced on Wednesday his “constant” keenness on bolstering national unity.

His visitors quoted him as saying: “We are keen on maintaining our friendship with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.”

The speaker made his remarks after his weekly meeting with lawmakers.

Berri added: “We have faith in Aoun’s wisdom and political positions.”

Commenting on the recent developments at parliament, he said: “There is no doubt that some constitutional measures can be taken to resolve this issue.”

The visitors added: “Berri has played a major role in saving Lebanon throughout the various difficulties it endured.”

“Today’s meeting was aimed at easing the crisis in order to reach the most appropriate means to end it,” they stated.

Aoun had slammed on Tuesday parliament’s approval of Electricite du Liban contract workers’ full-employment as “disrespectful to parliamentary conduct,” describing the decision as an “arbitrary plan.”

“We won't accept that wrong decisions be imposed on us,” he stressed.

“Every state has specific structures which we cannot surpass,” he warned.

“We're not attacking anyone and we're being very tolerant and our tolerance is increasing their greed,” Aoun said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Berri had suspended the parliamentary session for lack of quorum after Christian blocs boycotted it over the approval of EDL contract workers’ full-employment.

“The boycott is based on political reasons and not sectarian ones,” Berri said.

Change and Reform bloc, Phalange party and Lebanese Forces lawmakers took the decision to boycott the morning session to protest the draft law.