Berri to quintet: Help us but don't choose for us

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has said that his approach for dialogue to end the presidential vacuum is "known" by the ambassadors of the five-nation group for Lebanon.

"They've heard it from me several times: thank you for your efforts, cooperation and assistance, on the condition that you help us in what we want and choose, not in what you choose for us," al-Akhbar newspaper quoted Berri as saying.

"Is the dialogue I'm calling for a horrible crime?" Berri wondered.

Stressing that "only dialogue can activate the presidential file," the Speaker noted that an all-party dialogue would be "binding for everyone."

"This stance from Berri is a confirmation from him that there will be no presidential election session before reaching consensus on the presidential vote and the candidate," the newspaper said.