Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said that the negotiations with the US over the demarcation of the southern maritime borders were concluded, adding that he expected US Envoy David Schenker to convey the Israeli response in this regard soon.
In talks with a small group of media professionals, Berri stressed that the only serious candidate to head the next government was Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
Hariri “cannot say that he does not want that,” he underlined.
Berri denied that Hariri had set conditions, including obtaining exceptional powers. He said that he expressed his view on his support to Hariri’s appointment to President Michel Aoun, French President Emmanuel Macron and other international officials who visited Lebanon.
“There are many conditions, which Lebanon must meet in order to get out of its crisis,” Berri noted.
While he refused to enter into the details of the next cabinet, he emphasized that it must be “a strong government that can make decisions and implement them, because the opportunity given to Lebanon is running out…”
“There is no salvation for Lebanon unless everyone has the courage to go towards a civil state. Lebanon’s salvation can only be achieved by undertaking this constitutional surgery,” Berri stated.
He noted that the Lebanese Constitution, especially Article (22) thereof, talked about a national parliament and a senate, in which spiritual families are represented and its powers be limited to crucial issues.
Explaining his concept for a national parliament, the speaker said it should be established on the basis of equality between Christians and Muslims, without specifying the sectarian quota, while the representation of sects be limited to the senate, which is entrusted with crucial issues.
Berri, on the other hand, revealed that the issue of the demarcation of the southern Lebanese maritime borders, which he has personally supervised for nearly 11 years, “has reached its end.”
“We are about to set a date to announce the framework and the mechanism by which the demarcation will take place,” he announced, ruling out any disagreement with Aoun on this matter.
He stressed that both Aoun and Hariri personally assigned him to manage this issue.
“When the actual demarcation begins, the matter will be in the hands of the government, the army, and the presidency of the republic,” he explained.
He noted in this regard that US envoy David Schenker would convey the Israeli response, stressing that his talks with US Assistant Secretary of State David Hale were “more than excellent.”
Asked about the verdict that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) will issue in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Berri expressed relief at the statement by Hariri’s family, especially Saad Hariri, on the need to avoid problems and escalation in the Lebanese street.
“I think that everyone is keen not to increase tension
