Berri: Absolute Majority of Political Leaders Welcomed Dialogue Initiative

Speaker Nabih Berri said Friday he will start making contacts to assess the results of the meetings that the members of his parliamentary bloc held with top officials to explain to them his initiative aimed at ending the country's political crisis.

In remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper published Friday, Berri expressed relief that the “absolute majority of the political forces that the committee has met with has backed the initiative and the return to the (national) dialogue table.”

Berri's so-called roadmap focuses on a five-day dialogue conclave held by the rival March 8 and March 14 camps at Baabda Palace under President Michel Suleiman and with the participation of Premier-designate Tammam Salam.

His proposal lies in discussing the form and policy statement of the future cabinet, reviving talks on a new electoral law, supporting the military to deal with arms proliferated in several regions, in addition to addressing a national defense strategy, a reference to Hizbullah's arms.

Berri said he would meet with Suleiman soon to inform him about the results of the meetings that members of his Development and Liberation bloc held with the country's top leaders and the heads of blocs.

“Everyone backed the initiative and returning to the dialogue table except for Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea who has informed the parliamentary delegation that such a dialogue does not lead to any result as previous experience has shown,” Berri told al-Joumhouria.

The speaker stressed that al-Mustaqbal movement did not reject the invitation for all-party talks but proposed holding meetings between the two sides to discuss certain items on the agenda of the dialogue.

“I welcome dialogue and will meet with (al-Mustaqbal bloc leader) MP Fouad Saniora before I hold talks with the president,” Berri said.

But Geagea snapped back, telling the Central News Agency that “as long as everyone backed the initiative for national dialogue, then let it convene and we'll approve anything that (the Lebanese officials) agree to on condition they be constitutional and abide by the laws."