Berri Confident in Miqati, Aoun’s Ability to Resolve Crisis

Speaker Nabih Berri expressed confidence in the ability of Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun to resolve the cabinet crisis and reactivate its work.

“I am confident Miqati and Aoun are keen to safeguard the government and resume its activities,” Berri told An Nahar newspaper on Friday.

However, the speaker noted that the problem is that the members of the cabinet have accumulated frustrations that widened the crisis.

“They should try to narrow the gap and halt it in order to preserve the cabinet and the Lebanese people’s interests,” Berri stressed.

On Wednesday, sharp differences between Miqati and FPM ministers over the appointment of top civil servants forced the suspension of a cabinet session at the Baabda Palace while the premier pledged that he will not call for new meetings until the dispute is resolved.

Sources close to the speaker told al-Akhbar newspaper that he is waiting for the politicians to lower their rhetoric in order for him to begin seeking a way out of the crisis.

“The crisis is still under control,” the sources said.

According to As Safir newspaper, Berri urged the members of the cabinet to stop bickering as this “would harm Lebanon and the Lebanese.”