Berri Suggests Roadmap that Includes Dialogue Retreat on Cabinet Formation, Policy Statement
Speaker Nabih Berri on Saturday suggested holding a five-day dialogue retreat to discuss pending issues in the country.
“I suggest to President Michel Suleiman setting a roadmap that would get the country out of the current crisis and it includes holding a five-day dialogue retreat that would discuss the formation of the cabinet and its policy statement ,” Berri said in a televised speech he gave in the 35th memory of the disappearance of the spiritual leader Moussa al-Sadr.
A rally was supposed to take place marking al-Sadr's disappearance but due to the instability in the country, organizers from Berri's AMAL Movement announced postponing the annual event.
Revered by Lebanon's Shiites as a key spiritual and political guide, Sadr vanished in 1978 amid mysterious circumstances and was last seen in Libya where he was invited by slain leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Berri elaborated: “The dialogue sessions will be held with the participation of premier-designate Tammam Salam and the roadmap would also include supporting the army with additional 5,000 members, saving (the northern city of) Tripoli and the Bekaa from the spread of weapons and disassociating Lebanon from the Syrian crisis.”
Berri's suggestion also mentioned dialogue on the adoption of a new electoral law, reaching consensus over a national defense strategy and solutions to the current economic problems in the country.
“The only way to get out of the current crisis is dialogue and to those who are waiting for a sign from regional powers or to see how things will develop in neighboring countries, we tell them that Lebanon is no longer a priority.”
The speaker accused Israel of being behind the recent bombings and rocket launching that took place in the country.
“Israeli fingerprints are behind these happenings,” Berri said. “These cells are Israeli cells, no matter what were they labeled.”
On August 23, two powerful blasts rocked the northern city of Tripoli, killing 45 people and wounding over 800 others.
These attacks came eight days after 27 people were killed and around 300 wounded in a car bombing that rocked the Beirut southern suburb of Ruwais, a Hizbullah bastion.
The AMAL Movement leader lamented the “collapse of the Arab order,” considering that the Jewish nation is trying to impose its conditions on a settlement with Palestinians.
“We stress on the importance of denouncing our conflicts and instead supporting the Palestinian people in obtaining their rights. Our battle should be against Israel.”
Berri compared the current crisis in Syria to the Palestinian Nakba, urging disassociating Lebanese and all foreign factors from the neighboring country's crisis.
“We warn that Lebanon will be exposed to the dangers resulting from the Syrian crisis,” he pointed out.
"Lebanon will be the most affected by a war waged on Syria."
“Israel is the only beneficiary and we call on all Syrians, whether opponents or supporters of the regime to accept participating in the Geneva II talks.”
Berri also stated his rejection of the “all arms on the border.”
“Except for the military institution and the resistance's arms, all other weapons on the border are rejected," he said.
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