Berri Threatens to Debrief Cabinet if Oil Exploration Delayed

Speaker Nabih Berri warned on Monday that he will call for a parliamentary session to inquire the cabinet about Lebanon’s offshore oil wealth project.

“After the Special Tribunal for Lebanon crisis was resolved, the cabinet should turn to the oil (exploration project) … I will not accept any delay,” Berri told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

He noted that Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Energy Minister Jebran Bassil vowed to the parliament to issue the practical decrees concerning oil exploration by the end of December.

“If we reached January, 1, 2012 and none of the decrees were issued, then I will call on the parliament to convene to question the cabinet… I’m not willing to please anyone,” Berri stressed.

The cabinet approved in September the proposed borders of Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the Mediterranean.

However, a dispute had sparked between Lebanon and Israel over the maritime border after the discovery of potential offshore energy reserves.

The Israeli cabinet in July approved a map, which conflicts with Lebanon's proposed borders. It was submitted to the U.N. that has been asked to mediate the growing conflict.

Asked if the funding of the STL will activate the government’s productivity, he said “the cabinet didn’t have any excuse not to activate its work and productivity… We will carry on with our monitoring role.”

Berri stated that the parliament will not “hesitate in debriefing the cabinet and its PM over any negligence.”

Concerning the administrative appointments, the speaker said in comments published in As Safir newspaper that there is an agreement over the mechanism.

“As long as the sectarian identity of the (vacant) position is preserved then the cabinet should vote on the suggested names,” Berri said.