Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri has proposed to President Michel Aoun the name of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri for the premiership, parliamentary sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The sources said that during their meeting at the Baabda Palace on Wednesday, Aoun was open to Berri’s suggestion, but the President has insisted on continuing talks with officials to reach consensus on the shape of the new government before announcing the date of binding parliamentary consultations to name the next PM.
The parliamentary sources said Thursday that Berri would spare no effort for a breakthrough in the cabinet formation.
“Berri held talks with Aoun out of his belief that Lebanon cannot rely on other countries to solve its own problems,” the sources said.
The international community has been repeatedly calling on the Lebanese officials to first help themselves if they wish to receive support to stop the current financial and economic collapse that culminated with the Aug. 4 explosion at the Port of Beirut.
The sources revealed that Berri's role is essential in staying in contact with Lebanon’s rival politicians.
“The Speaker considers that any breakthrough to the crisis begins with the parliamentary consultations to name a Prime Minister who forms a new cabinet,” the sources said.
This remains the only means to encourage French President Emmanuel Macron to return to Beirut early next month.
They said the international community, mainly the US, encourages the formation of an independent government, denying that Macron supports a national unity cabinet.
“Berri would wait until Sunday for Aoun to end his consultations. After Monday, the Speaker would have another say,” the sources said.
Asharq Al-Awsat learned that Berri is expected to meet Friday with head of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Gebran Bassil, who is Aoun’s son-in-law.
Reports said that Aoun asked Berri to sit down with Bassil to discuss the government formation, adding that the meeting could be attended by Hussein Khalil, the political aide to Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, and the speaker’s advisor, Ali Hassan Khalil.
