Berri Working on Ending Political Vacuum Next Week
Speaker Nabih Berri has reportedly said that he has "ideas" aimed at breaking the deadlock on the cabinet crisis and considered the last week of October a deadline for finding a solution.
Berri”s visitors told As Safir daily that the speaker would propose his ideas to all Lebanese parties in coordination with the president and the premier-designate.
He reportedly said he doesn”t mind dropping a cabinet seat on condition that the concept of rotating ministries includes all sides without exception.
"If they want the foreign ministry, I don”t mind that a minister from the Liberation bloc heads the finance ministry," the speaker said.
Berri”s sources told As Safir that the speaker could hold a meeting with PM-designate Saad Hariri anytime soon. The newspaper added that Berri telephoned President Michel Suleiman and informed him that "intervention" is necessary to break the cabinet formation deadlock.
According to Berri”s sources, the speaker "stressed to the president the need to put an end to the (political) vacuum and consider next week the deadline for finding a solution."
"Things have become unbearable and we shouldn”t let people get used to the vacuum," Berri told Suleiman, according to the sources.
Asked by As Safir what steps he would take to find a solution and if he would propose an initiative, Berri said: "We have to get over with this. The country cannot bear" the situation anymore.