Mustaqbal MP Snaps Back at Berri, Describes him as 'Problem' behind Crisis

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Ahmed Fatfat lashed out at Speaker Nabih Berri, considering him the reason behind the country's political crisis.

“He (Berri) is the problem, especially regarding his provocative approach with us (the March 14 alliance) in the parliament,” Fatfat said in comments published in al-Liwaa newspaper.

Berri criticized the opposition after accusations that he was seeking to push it into the “trap” of attending parliamentary sessions despite vows by the coalition to boycott legislative activity that the cabinet takes part in.

The coalition decided not attend two legislative sessions that Berri called for to welcome the Armenian president and to show solidarity with the Palestinian people against the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

The lawmaker described a statement by Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat, who said that he is in a centrist alliance with President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Berri, as “weird.”

“Berri is not a centrist,” Fatfat said.

Lebanon plunged in a political crisis on October 19 when Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch chief Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan was assassinated.

Jumblat delegated his ministers Ghazi al-Aridi, Alaeddine Terro, and Wael Abou Faour to discuss an initiative based on finding an alternative to Miqati's cabinet without causing any political vacuum in the country.

He is seeking to convince political foes to attend a new round of the national dialogue sessions to discuss the arms of Hizbullah and other disputed matters.

Fatfat held a meeting on Wednesday with Jumblat in al-Mukhtara, he noted that he discussed with the Druze leader his initiative to end the lingering political crisis in the country.

“We will hold another meeting later on,” the lawmaker revealed.

Fatfat reiterated the opposition's stance from the national dialogue, saying “dialogue will resume after the cabinet changes.”

“We are committed to the Baabda declaration, but we reject the formation of a national unity cabinet,” he pointed out.

The opposition rejects attending any national dialogue session before Miqati's cabinet steps down and a new neutral government is formed.

“We want a neutral cabinet to supervise the upcoming 2013 parliamentary elections,” the MP added.