What has Berri said on Israel pullout, govt. and Syria border clashes?

Speaker Nabih Berri has told his visitors that he fears that Israel will not withdraw its forces from south Lebanon by the February 18 deadline, despite the reassurances of the countries that sponsor the ceasefire monitoring committee.

“If the enemy keeps occupying some strategic hills, this will mean that occupation is continuing and nothing has changed, something that we cannot accept,” Berri added, according to al-Joumhouria newspaper.

Moreover, Berri said he stressed to Deputy U.S. Envoy for Middle East Morgan Ortagus the need that Washington play its role as a guarantor of the ceasefire agreement, emphasizing “the need for completing the comprehensive Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory by Feb. 18.”

Separately, Berri expressed relief over the formation of a new government, noting that “this has created a reassuring atmosphere in the country,” decrying “recent attempts to sow discord among the Lebanese.”

“Our role is to unite them and the government’s formation is aimed at unification and responding to any attempt to sow discord,” Berri added.

As for the clashes on the Lebanese-Syrian border, Berri called for “exerting utmost effort to address the matter urgently and avoid any threats to the country’s security and stability.”