Berri 'proud' to have persuaded Mikati against six state ministers

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has confirmed his role in convincing Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati to refuse to add six ministers of state to the new government.

"I am proud that I was able to do so," Berri told al-Joumhouria newspaper, in remarks published Friday.

Berri re-iterated that in case of a presidential vacuum, every minister will act as if he were the president. "It is not acceptable to have 30 presidents who can obstruct all matters," he said.

President Michel Aoun had earlier told the daily that Mikati had accepted his proposal to add six ministers of state.

"I was later surprised by his turnabout after his meeting with Berri," Aoun said.