The Daily Star
BEIRUT: A solution to the government formation deadlock might be in the making, Speaker Nabih Berri said Wednesday while meeting lawmakers, according to a statement from his office.
During his weekly meeting with lawmakers at his Ain al-Tineh residence, Berri on the one hand reiterated his warning that Lebanon can no longer operate without a government – six months into the formation stalemate.
On the other hand, “Berri pointed out that there were new attempts to resolve the issue, and we hope it leads to the wanted results,” a statement from the speaker’s office reported.
Optimism of a breakthrough in the formation mounted once again after caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil met with Berri in an attempt to find a solution to the issue of the representation of six Hezbollah-backed Sunni lawmakers from outside the Future Movement. The issue has held up the Cabinet formation since last month.
Bassil presented Berri with what he called “three practical ideas” to resolve the problem, though neither gave details of the new ideas.
“The ideas that Bassil discussed … might be the logical solution,” Free Patriotic Movement MP Hikmat Dib told reporters after the meeting. He added that “Berri contributed to adjusting the ideas.”
Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar said Berri had also assured the lawmakers that he does not fear the financial situation, but that all of the different political sides should take responsibility for the country’s situation. “Lebanon cannot continue without a government,” Berri said, according to Ammar.
In addition to holding his weekly meeting Wednesday, Berri chaired a session of the Development and Liberation bloc.