Berri: Syrian Embassy Warned Against Involvement of Lebanese Officers in Syria Tumult

Speaker Nabih Berri has stressed that Lebanon’s security should not be linked to the political vacuum created by the deadlock on the formation of the new cabinet.

In remarks to several Beirut dailies published Wednesday, Berri said: “The effectiveness of security apparatuses should not be based on the formation of the government.” He stressed that security agencies have their own budgets.

Berri called for national unity to preserve the country’s stability and stressed that Lebanese should not interfere in the security affairs of Syria and vice versa.

The speaker unveiled that the Syrian embassy in Beirut has sent messages to all political leaderships in Lebanon informing them that some political parties and Lebanese officers were involved in the latest upheaval in Syria.

“This is unacceptable and should be dealt with to preserve the security of Lebanon and Syria,” he said.

The speaker admitted that he was concerned about a possible Israeli attack on Lebanon.

While also admitting that the Saudi-Syrian initiative would not be revived, he said contacts between Damascus and Riyadh benefit Lebanon but would not have an impact on the formation of the cabinet because the “obstacles are local.”

Berri refused to discuss the details of the government formation process, saying he wasn’t interfering in the issue.