BERRI MEETS WITH MIKATI, FOLLOWS UP ON HOUR ISSUES WITH FORMER MINISTERS AL-MURR, AL-KHAZEN

Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, received today at Ain al-Tineh Palace Prime Minister Najib Mikati, where talks touched on recent political and field developments. Following the meeting, PM Mikati left without making any statement. The House Speaker also met today with Deputy Prime Minister, former Defense Minister Elias Murr, in the presence of MP Michel Murr, with the latest political developments and legislative affairs topping their discussions. Berri later followed up on the presidential dossier, the general prevailing situation in the country, and the results of Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin's recent visit to Lebanon in his meeting with former Minister Wadih al-Khazen. Al-Khazen said on emerging: 'I was honored to meet with the Speaker of the House and we discussed various issues raised on the internal arena, especially the open Israeli war on Gaza, Lebanon and its south, and the repercussions of the internal crisis...I particularly commended the Speaker's wisdom in addressing the remnants of the problem between Bkirki and the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council....and his extreme keenness to consolidate the foundations of national reconciliation and Islamic-Christian brotherhood.' He added that they also discussed the visit made by the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, whereby the House Speaker expressed his satisfaction regarding the atmosphere that prevailed in his meeting with Parolin and the positive proposals brought forward in light of the Vatican's keenness on the significance of electing a president of the republic, which entails accelerating consultations to achieve this milestone. "The Vatican State is an advocate of dialogue between all Lebanese components, and everyone must read the Vatican's firm position on implementing what was stated in the Apostolic Exhortation, specifically Christian-Islamic dialogue," al-Khazen asserted. He concluded by expressing his well-wishes on the Hijri New Year occasion, hoping that it would bring a flood of goodne ss and aspirations for the Lebanese people and that we would follow the path of electoral entitlements similar to what happened in Britain, Iran, and France, by electing a new president of the republic especially amidst the critical circumstances and crises witnessed in Lebanon. Source: National news agency - Lebanon