Berri Reconciles Rival Members of Finance and Budget Committee
Speaker Nabih Berri reconciled on Wednesday the March 8 and 14 members of parliament’s Finance and Budget Committee after the opposition MPs boycotted it.
Berri headed a meeting of the committee after he exerted strong efforts to revive the work of the group.
The head of the committee MP Ibrahim Kanaan described the talks as positive as it appeared that a reconciliation had been reached between the MPs.
Kanaan added that the committee will convene next week, hoping that all of its members would be in attendance.
The March 14-led opposition lawmakers boycotted the committee in November in protest of comments by its Kanaan against al-Mustaqbal bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora.
Kanaan, a member of Michel Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc, had accused Saniora of embezzlement during his tenure as finance minister from 1992 to 1998 and from 2000 to 2004.
The March 14 lawmakers walked out of the committee after al-Mustaqbal MP Jamal al-Jarrah criticized Kanaan’s accusations against Saniora and stressed the boycott will continue until the March 8 MP issues an apology.
Al-Jarrah accused Kanaan of spreading lies about Saniora, saying that his claims are baseless and lack objectivity.
He said the Change and Reform MP was abusing his position as head of the committee to score political gains.
Also Wednesday, Berri headed another meeting for the heads of parliamentary committees and their secretaries.
He will also hold his weekly meetings with MPs.
Earlier in the day, Berri discussed the latest developments with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace.
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