Berri says Quint gave 'positive' feedback on Jan. 9 session

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has received "positive and encouraging signals" from the ambassadors of the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt.

Envoys from the five countries who met with Berri Wednesday have been working for months to facilitate the election of a president, as crisis-hit Lebanon has been without a head of state for more than two years amid deadlock between pro- and anti-Hezbollah blocs in parliament.

Berri vowed that a parliament session scheduled on January 9 to elect a president will not be postponed. He told An-Nahar newspaper, in remarks published Thursday, that the Quint's ambassadors were positive and encouraging in regard to the presidential election session.

"Enough with the void," Berri said, expecting the upcoming session to be productive. He added that all blocs and lawmakers must shoulder their responsibilities and work to elect a president.