Berri Denies Consulting Any of his Allies, Says he ‘Lost a Minister But Won Lebanon’
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri has unveiled that he decided to give up a Shiite minister from his share in the new cabinet without consulting any of his allies despite media reports contradicting his remarks.
“I got the idea on my way to the presidential palace. Eventually I lost a minister but won Lebanon,” Berri told An Nahar daily on Tuesday.
He also told As Safir newspaper that he did not consult any of his allies in the March 8 forces on his decision to give up a Shiite share “as the only salvation method.”
Berri’s move allowed the Sunni sect to get seven ministers instead of six. Faisal Karami who was strongly backed by March 8 became the seventh minister.
The cabinet formation efforts would have been stalled, hadn’t he made such an initiative, the head of the Amal movement said. “I had always said that the party involved in the formation of the government is a single team and should not bicker over shares.”
He told As Safir that his move is the “true political interpretation” of his words.
When asked about the divided Karami family, which is now represented in the cabinet by Faisal and Ahmed Karami, Berri said: “We are from the same national line.”
Media reports said that Berri decided to visit Baabda ahead of the cabinet announcement on Monday after President Michel Suleiman, who was holding talks with PM Najib Miqati, informed him in a telephone conversation that the issue was urgent.
They said Berri immediately went to Baabda and joined the two officials. According to As Safir, Miqati had proposed a 24-member lineup which was disliked by the speaker.
Berri informed Suleiman and Miqati that he rejects to approve a government that contradicts the previously reached agreement to form a cabinet made up of 30 ministers, it said.
Sources close to the March 8 forces also said that Berri informed Miqati that he rejects a de facto cabinet and will make a statement as soon as he forms his new government.
He then left the meeting. But Berri decided to give up the sixth minister in favor of the Sunnis after he consulted with Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah upon his return from Baabda to Ain el-Tineh, the sources said.
14 June 2011, 11:20
00
هل الى هذا الحد وصلت الامور بسنة طرابلس؟
يشحدون المقاعد الوزارية من الاخوان الشيعة ، و ما هو الثمن يا ترى؟
ولاية الفقية في ساحة عبد الحميد كرامي، ساحة قلعة المسلمين في طرابلس؟
14 June 2011, 11:39
10
congratulations lebanon or shame lebanon,
welcome syrian phase again, i see briliant people presenting Tripoli, sorry I mean the Karami family who are without karameh anymore. Rashi Karameh was a man with dignity, now Tripoli you should be ashame of the new misiters and on the head Mr Mikati the one who is a big lier and crook that all what he cares is his perosnnel benefits. you sold your dignity to HB and AMAL and to Bashshar and Iran. good for you Mr Mikati, but the people of Lebanon and especially Tripoli wil not forget your deeds, and inshallah when the moment of truth comes you all will be gone to hell.
14 June 2011, 14:32
00
Everyone knows the circumstances and the lengthy time it took to form a one sided cabinet.personally speaking,i don't expect much from a cabinet that it had all the marks of ( what's in it for me ?).greed and selfishness were so obvious and dominant that someone would think they were after a pot of gold,how pathetic?.In spite of this low expectations ,i clearly say ,LET THEM GOVERN,IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD,Remember we're watching you,and we will hold you accountable ,time for practicing some kind of democracy ,it will be the day when everyone start playing by the rules!we're long way from that.
14 June 2011, 19:29
10
Despite the fact that the slide back to the Syrian and Iranian regimes full hegemony over the lebanese scene is continuing there is still hope.
The salvation obviously will not come from those who are either blinded by sectarianism or enthralled by their clan leaders. Regretfully a large number of the lebanese by choice or by intimidation have sided with the enemies of lebanon and their proxies.
The salvation will come from the brave Syrian people who are bent on bringing down the Syrian regime. After they are done, Syria will hopefully become a lot better neighbor to lebanon. Till then these new ministers will enjoy the perks, build their assets and prepare their exit speaches for whenever those who brought them to power are no longer powerful.
14 June 2011, 22:00
01
What did you sacrifice?? get you thugs off ours streets and make them stop coming to our stores and intimidate us an extorte us for "protection" you are a very well dressed tyrant. Maybe you should go back and see what is the foundation of AMAL mouvment.
