Makari Targets Berri for Losing Eligibility, Hassan Khalil Hits Back
Deputy Parliament Speaker Farid Makari lashed out at House Speaker Nabih Berri charging the latter has “lost his eligibility” as a negotiator and head of the legislative authority.
Nevertheless, MP Ali Hassan Khalil, who is member of Berri”s AMAL Movement, responded by stressing that the Speaker has always been “keen on adherence to the constitution and the rights of the political and religious factions in forming the government.”
Makari said that any leader from the March 14 Forces “whether ex-President Amin Gemayel, MP Saad Hariri, MP Walid Jumblat or Dr. Samir Geage, is fully prepared to negotiate with any representative of March 8 on the base of the frank, transparent and public document which we (March 14) had presented to the Lebanese people and which is made up of a single clause: Amending the constitution and electing Gen. Michel Suleiman president.”
Hassan Khalil, however, said Berri “was the first to nominate Suleiman for president” at a time March 14 rejected the choice under the banner of rejecting any constitutional amendment.
The Lebanese People, according to Makari, “are in no need of further evidence that March 8″s sole target is to block the election of Gen. Suleiman.”
He recalled that when Berri announced his initiative during a rally in Baalbek, saying he was assigned to negotiate on behalf of the March 8 coalition, The March 14 alliance responded by assigning MP Saad Hariri to represent the bloc in the talks.
“But when March 8 was faced by a real consensus candidate, who is strong and supported by the majority of the Lebanese People, Berri proposed non-constitutional conditions based on two options: Either non constitutional amendment and election, or no amendment and, therefore, no election,” Makari explained.
“When Speaker Berri”s constitutional heresy was exposed to all the Lebanese by legal authorities, including some of his allies, he opted for shattering the base of negotiations” which climaxed in the announcement by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun that the opposition has assigned him negotiator on the bases of a “veiled paper” that he refused to disclose.
“Why would March 8 want to negotiate on a veiled, secret document? What is the reason for this secrecy in contrast with March 14th transparency?” Makari asked.
“They (March 8) want to abort the presidency and they want to strip the Christian president of all his powers, even before being elected,” He said.
Makari concluded by noting that “it is the Christian President”s right, especially if he is to regain the allegedly lost rights of the Christians, to be represented in the government by a number of ministers, while March 8th conditional government structure is based on a 17-seat share for the majority and 13 for the opposition with no mention of seats allotted for the Christian president.
“The Christian President”s practiced right also allows him to choose the new army commander , while March 8 forces pre-conditions include agreeing of the army commander even before amending the constitution and electing the president.”