Speaker Nabih Berri said Monday that the vacuum in Lebanon is not limited to the presidency, but extends to the perimeters of parliament as well as the cabinet.
During his meeting with the administrative board of the Lebanese Press Syndicate headed by Aouni al-Kaaki, Berri praised the importance of the Future- Hezbollah dialogue, noting that it is a necessity since it maintains social security and could lead to an agreement over the election of a new president, which remains the concern of all the Lebanese people, Christians and Muslims.
“We had a chance to ‘Lebanonize’ the presidential elections procedure when the foreign powers were preoccupied with their own troubles,” he stated, stressing that he will adopt any agreement reached by the Christians over this matter.
The speaker also tackled the issue pertaining to fuel and gas, where he pointed out that the obstacles preventing Lebanon from advancing in this sector are Israel’s continuous violations against Lebanon, and the US' complicity in this regard.
In this context, Berri pointed out that Lebanon has another natural wealth- the country's water reserves- stressing that a remarkable progress in protecting this wealth has been made.
On terrorism, Berri warned against the threat posed by the Islamic State, noting that “it may not be easy to overcome, but it will definitely be defeated, not with weapons, but through good governance, education and freedom.”