Report: Tuesday's Parliamentary Session to Be Postponed to Avoid Further Tensions

A parliamentary session aimed at discussing a number of draft-laws is expected to be postponed for the fourth time on Tuesday, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Monday.

It said that Speaker Nabih Berri is likely to postpone the two-day session in order to avoid further tensions in Lebanon in light of the ongoing political disputes and security unrest.

Parliamentary sources explained that Berri “does not want to jeopardize the last chance for political parties to convene and communicate and he will therefore not hesitate to postpone Tuesday's session.”

Al-Hayat revealed that he had held separate talks with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati and head of the Mustaqbal bloc MP Fouad Saniora about postponing the session before Thursday's Ruwais bombing in Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahieh had taken place.

The session was postponed for a third time on July 29 over a lack of quorum.

Several parliamentary blocks boycotted the parliamentary session over a dispute with the speaker over its agenda, which included 45 articles.

Berri insists on keeping the 45 draft-laws on the agenda intact and had previously vowed to continue to call on MPs to a General Assembly meeting until the agenda is discussed.

Miqati argues that there is no balance between the powers of the legislative and executive branches amid a resigned government.

Miqati and the March 14 alliance say that the agenda's articles should be limited to one draft-law, which is extending Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji's mandate.

Qahwaji's term ends in September when he turns 60.