Berri Meets Aoun and Diab, Rules Out Sacking of Salameh

A tripartite meeting was held Friday in Baabda between President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Hassan Diab, following a dramatic crash of the Lebanese currency that sparked raging nationwide protests.

The meeting preceded a Cabinet session in Baabda.

"It was agreed with President Aoun and PM Diab to lower the dollar exchange rate as of today to below LBP 4,000 and gradually to 3,200, but the results will not begin appearing before Monday,” Berri said after the talks.

"This thing will happen and it was agreed on the measures during the Cabinet session that was held in the morning," the Speaker assured.

He added that he also agreed with Aoun and Diab on "addressing the International Monetary Fund with a unified language."

Asked about the possibility of the government sacking veteran Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, Berri said: “We need all people and we don’t need to give them up.”