PSP Delegation Meets Berri over Jumblat's Initiative

Officials loyal to Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat visited Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh on Saturday as part of the initiative aimed at resolving the country's political crisis.

The delegation included Minister Alaeddine Terro, MP Akram Shehayeb and PSP Secretary Zafer Nasser.

A PSP delegation met with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace on Tuesday and is set to hold separate talks with Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Hizbullah and several parties to find consensus among them.

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

The March 14 opposition alliance boycotted political activity with its foes after it blamed Miqati's government for the killing and said it would not sit at the same dialogue table with Hizbullah.

Jumblat is seeking to convince political foes to attend a new round of national dialogue under Suleiman as an icebreaker by launching the initiative to steer the country away from “the ghost of strife.”