Berri: Involving Lebanon in 'Ethnic' Divisions Will not Pass

Speaker Nabih Berri warned on Wednesday of the dangers of involving Lebanon in ethnic divisions, assuring that any such plots will not be fruitful, reported the state-run National News Agency.

“Attempts to involve Lebanon in ethnic divisions are extremely dangerous. Lebanon is not another Iraq and such plots will not pass,” said Berri during the weekly meeting with MPs.

He renewed calls to deter attempts aiming to instigate tension, and said: “The situation is worrisome and requires vigilance. Attempts to obstruct the state institutions should be stopped.”

Beirut's southern suburbs neighborhood of Rweiss was targeted with a car bomb that killed 27 people and wounded more than 336 other.

Thursday's bombing was claimed by an unknown cell that said it was revenge for Hizbullah's engagement in Syria's war alongside Assad's troops.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah accused radical Sunni Islamists of staging the attack.

Moreover, the Speaker denounced how some politicians continue to boycott the parliament sessions “the fact of having a caretaker cabinet should actually double the efforts of the parliament instead of boycotting its sessions,” he said.

A parliamentary session dedicated to tackling a number of draft-laws was postponed on Tuesday over a lack of quorum.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam is seeking the formation of a 24-member cabinet in which the March 8, March 14 and centrists camps would each get eight ministers.

He is also rejecting granting veto power to any power, which the March 8 camp has been demanding.

The March 14 coalition is meanwhile calling for keeping Hizbullah out of the cabinet over its role in Syria's war.