Berri Rejects to Engage in Row with Anyone

Speaker Nabih Berri has reiterated that he rejected being involved in a dispute with any Lebanese politician while stressing that Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun cannot not take any action that would harm the state.

Al-Joumhouria daily on Wednesday quoted Berri as telling his visitors that “the person who considers himself 'the son of the (political) system or the son of the state' cannot do anything that would damage or harm the state.”

Aoun said on Tuesday following the weekly meeting of his Change and Reform parliamentary bloc that he is the son of the state rather than the son of the system.

Berri, according to visitors, stressed the need for all political parties to abide by the Constitution.

His remarks came after Aoun's fiery speech in which he said he was adamant to prepare for a “fateful battle” to regain Christian rights.

His supporters began preparing to stage anti-government rallies after the cabinet failed to discuss the appointment of high-ranking security and military officials.

Aoun is waiting for the outcome of Thursday's cabinet session to give the green light to his supporters to resort to the streets.

But later Wednesday, Berri denied that he had discussed the government situation as reported in some newspapers, stressing the need to discuss Lebanon's interests.

G.K.

D.A.