Hariri Meets Berri and Daryan, Says Arab States 'Inclined' to Back His 'Approach'

Prime Minister Saad Hariri held separate talks Wednesday evening with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan and announced that Arab states are “inclined” to support his conciliatory approach.

“We discussed the consultations that we intend to carry out, both him and I, about the issue of the dissociation policy, and its main principle is to spare Lebanon any difficulties,” said Hariri after talks with Berri in Ain el-Tineh, which were attended by Hariri's adviser Nader Hariri and Berri's aide Ali Hassan Khalil, who is also the finance minister.

“We should seek Lebanon's interest and only Lebanon's interest. We are in a burning region and there are things that we should stay away from. I'm talking about all political parties, not only about a single party, and this means that the dissociation policy must apply to everyone and not only to a single party,” the premier added.

He said honoring Lebanon's so-called dissociation policy would “immunize our ties with our Arab brothers and would put Lebanon in a position in which it can have a clear dialogue with everyone, especially regarding regional disputes, especially that we are a small country.”

“Our political camp must also practice real dissociation – in the media, practically and in all matters,” Hariri added.

Asked whether his decision to put his resignation on hold was coordinated with Saudi officials, Hariri said: “I suspended it because the president asked me to do so and I suspended it because I found out that the political parties are showing positivity regarding dialogue and consultations... The dissociation policy should turn from words into action in order to spare Lebanon any problems.”

“The president, whom I thank for the sympathy he showed towards me, asked me for this, and the least I can do is to respond to his call,” Hariri added.

Asked whether the Cabinet will convene now that he has reversed his resignation, the premier said that he wants to “focus on consultations.”

“I have a lot of mail that accumulated throughout the previous period and I will start signing it as of tomorrow,” he added.

Moreover, Hariri stressed that positive results can be achieved, noting that “Arab brothers” understand his stance.

“They know what we are trying to do, whether yesterday with (Egyptian) President (Abdel Fattah) al-Sisi, or even in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and also today in the UAE. There is positivity regarding the dissociation policy and there is an inclination to back our approach. The French president is also following up closely on this issue for the sake of Lebanon's stability,” the PM added.

Hariri had earlier held talks at Dar al-Fatwa with Mufti Daryan.

“The dissociation policy is essential in the ministerial Policy Statement and this is what we should emphasize and implement,” Hariri said after the talks.