Berri to quintet: Help us, but let us choose

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has stated that his approach to dialogue for resolving the presidential vacuum is well-known to the ambassadors of the five-nation group for Lebanon.

“They have heard it from me multiple times: thank you for your efforts, cooperation, and assistance, provided that you support us in what we want and choose, not in what you decide for us,” Berri was quoted by al-Akhbar newspaper.

“Is the dialogue I’m advocating for such a terrible crime?” Berri questioned.

Emphasizing that “only dialogue can advance the presidential issue,” the Speaker insisted that an all-party dialogue would be “mandatory for everyone.”

“This position from Berri confirms that there will be no presidential election session until a consensus is reached on the presidential vote and the candidate,” the newspaper noted.