Hizbullah Tasks Berri with Negotiating over Govt. Line-Up
Hizbullah has tasked Speaker Nabih Berri with negotiating over the line-up of the new government on behalf of the March 8 forces, a media report said on Sunday.
“The failure of Hizbullah's efforts to reconcile viewpoints between Berri, (Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman) Franjieh and (Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel) Aoun prompted Hizbullah to take the decision of authorizing the parliament speaker to negotiate over the government line-up after Aoun's election” as president, sources informed on March 8's stance told the pan-Arab al-Hayat newspaper.
The sources said the other March 8 forces have also endorsed this decision.
“Hizbullah's authorization of Berri will end any bets on a dispute between the Shiite duo in the coming period,” the sources noted.
Aoun was tipped to become president after al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri formally endorsed his nomination last week. He is poised to be elected on Monday.
Berri has openly announced that his bloc will not vote for Aoun and that it might join the ranks of the opposition should Aoun be elected president.
Berri's aides have accused Aoun and Hariri of striking a “bilateral” agreement that would marginalize Shiites in power, allegations that Aoun and Hariri have denied.
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