Berri Will Not Resume Dialogue Until 'Changes are Introduced'

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Wednesday that he will not resume the dialogue meetings unless the political parties are truly ready for serious dialogue, Ad Diyar daily reported.

“I will not be calling for a dialogue session unless there was a change in the form, content and perception of the others. Until this moment I will not initiate anything until the others (politicians of the dialogue table) are ready for serious dialogue and their ideas change. Only then will I be ready because we want successful and efficient talks,” Berri was quoted as saying.

Highlighting the need for dialogue between Lebanon's politicians, the Speaker added: “Dialogue provided a form of contentment in the country and produced several things, contrary to what some people say, whether with regard to the nationality issue, the law of administrative decentralization or facilitating the government’s work.”

He renewed calls to adopt an earlier package deal that involves the presidency, the government and the electoral law.

Early this week, Berri refrained from setting a date for a new national dialogue session after the Free Patriotic Movement vowed during Monday's meeting that it would boycott the all-party talks.

FPM chief Jebran Bassil threatened to boycott dialogue during the session, stressing that the “FPM cannot tolerate the situation anymore.”

The FPM's latest boycott of the cabinet was linked to the thorny issued of military appointments.

The movement has recently warned that the country might be plunged into a “political system crisis” if the other parties do not heed the FPM's demands regarding Muslim-Christian “partnership.”