Berri lauds Aoun's approach in negotiations with US, arms file

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has slammed “some in the country who deliberately launching a scare campaign about an all-out war on Lebanon.”

“Regardless of the nature of Israeli intentions … this is deplorable and contradicts with the spirit of national responsibility,” Berri told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

Lauding President Joseph Aoun’s approach in dealing with the negotiations with the U.S. and the Hezbollah arms file, Berri said “the approach he is adopting in dealing with this file is good.”

Asked about the reports claiming the presence of disputes between him and Hezbollah, a smiling Berri said: “Neither I nor Hezbollah know of this. Let them blabber.”

As for U.S. envoy Tom Barrack’s warning that “as long as Hezbollah retains arms, words will not suffice,” Berri said Barrack’s remarks are “addressed to the government.”

“For my part, I’m concerned with continuing to seek solutions,” Berri added.