Saniora Holds 2-Hour Meeting with Berri, Says Trying to Find 'Common Ground'

Head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora on Thursday said he agreed with Speaker Nabih Berri to continue their talks on the thorny domestic issues, following a meeting that lasted more than two hours in Ain al-Tineh.

“The discussions tackled all the topics that are of interest for the Lebanese and the dialogue was serious,” Saniora told reporters.

“We agreed to continue this dialogue in the coming days,” he revealed.

Answering a reporter's question, Saniora said: “We look for the interest of the Lebanese on the short and long terms.”

“We are trying to find points that represent common ground for everyone,” he added.

Saniora's visit comes after Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat called for avoiding an “unconstitutional” government in response to President Michel Suleiman's announcement that the new cabinet might be formed before the beginning of October.

In this regard, Mustaqbal sources played down Jumblat's remarks, telling al-Manar television that “the ball is in the court of Suleiman and (Premier-designate Tammam) Salam.”

“March 8 sources lauded Jumblat's 'wise' stances after he rejected the formation of an unconstitutional cabinet,” al-Manar said.

In an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, Suleiman had expected that he and Salam would form a cabinet before October.

On Monday, Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah described the so-called 8-8-8 formula as "unrealistic," saying "it is technically a 10-6-8 formula since the premier-designate is a member of the March 14 forces and the minister he is supposed to name would abide by the same political agenda."