Speaker Berri advocates dialogue: A call for consensus in resolving Lebanon's presidential crisis

Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri told Al-Joumhouria that "the natural course to resolve the presidential crisis is to sit on a table for dialogue, discussion, or consultation, or under any title, for at least one day or for a maximum of a week, to formulate an agreement on electing a president."

He added, "This is the mandatory path that all members should follow, away from bids and conflicts. Following that, we move to the parliament to hold consecutive sessions to elect the president."

This article is originally published in, translated from Lebanese newspaper Al-Joumhouria. 

Speaker Berri, who welcomed the movement of the Quintet Committee and agreed with its ambassadors on the priority of holding dialogue to reach a consensus on a president, still hopes to break through what this committee has achieved. 

On another note, he wished that political parties would genuinely respond to the initiative of the National Moderation Bloc's MPs, describing it as a commendable initiative through which they sought to achieve the goal "we aspire to by establishing an agreement on electing a president."

Berri pointed out that he will meet with deputies of the National Moderation Bloc on Saturday, emphasizing that the effort should not stop until "we achieve the goal we seek, and we remove the presidency from the circle of 'paralysis.'"

Ultimately, he stated there is no escape from reaching an agreement on a president, especially since "we are in a situation that necessitates facing its challenges by immediately fortifying ourselves, starting with the election of the president."