Berri Slams March 14, Says Opposition Acquired 'Bad' Behavior of March 8
Speaker Nabih Berri lashed out on Wednesday at the March 14 alliance, pointing out that it acquired all the “flaws” of the March 8 camp and added to it its own “dreadful behavior.”
“Instead of cooperating and acquiring each others positive traits, the March 14 forces decided to take the March 8 camp's flaws and added worse behavior to them,” Berri's visitors quoted him as saying in comments published in An Nahar newspaper on Wednesday.
He stressed that the March 14 alliance's maneuvers led to a dead-end as its decision to boycott parliamentary sessions will not frustrate the efforts exerted by Prime Minister Najib Miqati and his government to go on with their tasks.
“This road will not lead anywhere and doesn't benefit the country in anything,” lawmakers quoted the speaker as saying in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper.
The opposition insists on the resignation of the cabinet as a key condition to resume any political activity with the March 8 alliance.
He pointed out that the cabinet “must” continue its tasks by following up the affairs of the Lebanese people on all levels.
Berri's visitors told An Nahar that the opposition's decision to boycott the national dialogue session “harms the country.”
The upcoming all-party talks are expected to be held on November 12, however, President Michel Suleiman is carrying out consultations with the Lebanese foes on the possibility of forwarding the date of the session.
In addition, Berri criticized Sunday's incidents in Beirut and across the country.
“Amid these conditions the cabinet should work harder despite the opposition's approach, until it backs down on its stances and resumes cooperation” with the government, he added.
Clashes broke out on Sunday after the funeral of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan between mourners, mainly March 14 supporters, and the security forces near the Grand Serail.
Police fired in the air and used tear gas to drive back protesters who tried to storm Miqati's office.
Opposition figures have called for Miqati to resign and his government, which is dominated by pro-Syria parties, to step down.
The opposition has blamed Syrian President Bashar Assad for Friday's car bomb blast, which killed Hasan and several other people in the Ashrafiyeh neighborhood in Beirut.
They also hold Assad responsible for the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a huge blast in Beirut.
Lebanon's political parties are deeply divided over the Syrian revolt, with the Western-backed opposition supporting the uprising and March 8 allies backing Assad.
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