Berri Meets Miqati to Resolve Crisis, Says Cabinet Shouldn’t Resign
Speaker Nabih Berri held talks with Prime Minister Najib Miqati in Ain el-Tineh on Tuesday to resolve the crisis threatening to collapse the cabinet.
As Safir reported that Berri, in his attempt to find consensus among the cabinet members, was tasked by the Hizbullah leadership in coordination with President Michel Suleiman to contact Miqati to find an acceptable solution by all members.
“The cabinet at this historical stage … should work and not resign,” he told As Safir.
Miqati had warned that he would submit his resignation if the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon wasn’t approved by the cabinet; however, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has openly opposed Lebanon paying its annual share.
Berri revealed that a huge amount of natural gas and oil was detected in the sea off Beirut and Jounieh, according to a study carried out by Spectrum British Company.
He said that the cabinet should act “swiftly to invest in this expanding wealth” by avoiding any delay or resignation.
The cabinet is expected to witness a heated debate on Wednesday as the funding of the STL has deepened the rift between the cabinet members.
Lebanon is responsible for meeting 49 percent of the costs of the STL, which has charged four Hizbullah members in the February 14, 2005 assassination of ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others.
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