Berri calls for 'national dialogue', says sessions 'useless' without consensus

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has called for national dialogue to find a successor to President Michel Aoun, describing the unsuccessful parliamentary sessions to elect a new president as a pointless "play."

Berri told Asharq al-Awsat, in remarks published Tuesday, that he has started gathering opinions from the political forces about holding a national dialogue after Aoun's term ends, as he considered that "there is no point in calling for more sessions as long as there is no consensus."

Berri also reveled his intentions to al-Joumhouria, telling the daily that he will call for the dialogue as soon as he senses a positive response from the parties.

"Without a consensus, we will remain trapped in a whirlpool," Berri said.