Nabih Berri in Cairo during the 32nd meeting of the Arab Parliamentary Union. (Credit: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament)
BEIRUT — Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri expects a response “within three days” to Lebanon’s reactions, submitted in late January, to Kuwaiti proposals aimed at helping Beirut restore diplomatic relations with several Gulf states.
Here’s what we know:
• Berri gave the timeline in an interview with the Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram on the sidelines of the 32nd meeting of the Arab Parliamentary Union, adding that “the disagreement to the Kuwaiti initiative lies in resolutions 1559 and 1701.” On the former, adopted in 2004 and which includes among its terms “the disarmament and disbanding of all militias” and “the extension of the control of the Lebanese government over all its territory,” Berri criticized the fact that “Syrian forces were evacuated from Lebanese territory unlike the Israeli army.” Regarding resolution 1701, which established a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah after the 2006 war, he denounced the silence of the Lebanese “in the face of the position of Israel,” which, he says, continues to violate this resolution.
• Berri’s remarks come as Lebanon tries to restore its ties with the Gulf monarchies, after a diplomatic crisis triggered last October by remarks made by former Information Minister Georges Kurdahi over Riyadh’s role in the war in Yemen. Kuwait submitted 12 proposals to the Lebanese authorities during a visit of its foreign minister to Beirut last January in an effort to move towards a diplomatic thaw. This roadmap included several general requests from the international community, such as the organization of legislative elections and the launch of reforms, in addition to its calls for compliance with UN resolutions 1559 and 1701. In late January, Kuwaiti diplomatic chief Sheikh Ahmad Nasser al-Mohammad Al-Sabah announced that Lebanon’s response to the proposals was “under consideration” and that decisions would be taken on how to proceed with the initiative.
• Speaking about upcoming parliamentary elections, Berri assured that “no one can prevent them from taking place,” noting that so far all Lebanese and international components are keen to hold the elections within the scheduled time. He noted in this context the need for “the government to have completed its negotiations with the International Monetary Fund" by the parliamentary elections of May 15 and the presidential elections, scheduled for October, stating that “so far, the negotiations are very successful.”
• Last Thursday, the speaker had called on the Arab Parliamentary Union to oversee the legislative elections and rejected “any attempt to postpone them.”
• Commenting on the crisis in Lebanon, Berri said “the country is not bankrupt” but “has no liquidity” because of “the absence of policy.” Referring to the prosecution of central bank Governor Riad Salameh, he described the incidents that took place last week between two Lebanese security services as “very dangerous.”
• Mount Lebanon Public Prosecutor Ghada Aoun, who is considered close to President Michel Aoun, had issued a subpoena against Salameh after he repeatedly failed to appear for questioning in relation to a lawsuit filed against him by lawyers representing the civil society group The People Want to Reform the System, which accuses the Banque du Liban governor of embezzlement, wasting public funds, illegal enrichment and money laundering. On Tuesday, State Security sought to apprehend Salameh but was unable to locate him at the central bank or at either his two private residences. Allegations, meanwhile, abounded that the Internal Security Forces had intervened to hamper State Security’s efforts to detain Salameh. A judicial source confirmed to L’Orient Today on Wednesday that Judge Aoun had charged the director-general of the ISF, Maj. Gen. Imad Othman, with obstructing the implementation of a judicial warrant and breaching the duties of his job" in relation to the reported incident.