March 14 MPs Meet Berri to Discuss Electoral Law, Parliament Work
A March 14 delegation held talks on Wednesday with Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh, amid media reports saying that the March 14 camp is seeking to protest the resumption of activity at parliamentary committees in the absence of the members of the opposition.
“The meeting with Speaker Berri was lengthy and beneficial and we explained our point of view in light of the memo we carried to him. We heard his viewpoint in detail and we will resume talks soon,” MP Marwan Hamade said after the meeting in the name of the March 14 delegation.
Asked about a possible solution to the issue of the committees and the sessions, Hamade said: “Discussions with Speaker Berri were broader than that.”
As Safir newspaper reported Wednesday that Berri would emphasize to the delegation the need to resume contacts between the various rival political powers.
“He will discuss with opposition MPs the possibility of ending their boycott of parliamentary and government-related activity, including the national dialogue, especially since the subcommittees will address the parliamentary electoral law,” said As Safir.
Berri was also expected to stress the need for the concerned subcommittees to convene at parliament, not elsewhere as had been proposed over security fears voiced by the opposition.
He deemed such a request as “illogical.”
A proposal had been made for the meetings to be held at the residences of MPs out of concerns that the lawmakers' lives could be in danger.
Several of them had received death threats in recent months and they have consequently limited their activity.
Media reports had said on Monday however that the opposition lawmakers had decided to attend the meeting of the parliamentary subcommittee studying electoral draft laws but they will continue to boycott all other legislative activity.
The March 14-led opposition announced in October its boycott of government-related activity in light of the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan.
It accused Syria of being behind the murder and the government, comprised of mainly Syria's allies, of covering up the crime.
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