Berri Blames March 14's Dialogue Boycott on Lack of Agreement

Speaker Nabih Berri blamed on Tuesday the March 14 opposition for preventing the country's bickering foes from reaching a deal on ending the political crisis.

“Had it (the March 14 alliance) agreed to (engage) in dialogue as I had suggested to meet every four days or one week, we would have agreed on something,” Berri told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

“Or at least it could have embarrassed us and accused us of paralyzing (state institutions) had we not reached any solution,” he said.

The speaker said there was no explanation for a decision by the opposition leaders to boycott the all-party talks at the Baabda palace or the parliamentary sessions.

He said the coalition could have grabbed the opportunity of his invitation to a parliamentary session to press for its demands, rather than “escape from it.”

“It could have held the government accountable,” Berri added.

In similar remarks to An Nahar daily, Berri said that the continued boycott of dialogue doesn't fall in anyone's interest. “Let it come to the dialogue and embarrass us (March 8).”

“Dialogue brings tranquility to the Lebanese and takes them to the shores of political and economic stability,” he added.

The opposition called for the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Miqati's cabinet after the Oct. 19 assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Wissam al-Hassan.

It blamed the cabinet for the killing and pointed its finger at the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The alliance also boycotted parliamentary activity and set the resignation of the government as a condition for its participation in the national dialogue at the Baabda presidential palace.

Asked whether he thought some parties in Lebanon were hinging on the regional changes to implement their political agendas, Berri told al-Joumhouria: “The nation is the guarantor of everyone.”

Only unity protects Lebanon, he said.