Berri: Army-People-Resistance Formula Exists Despite Hariri’s Rejection

Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated that the country’s defense strategy was settled in the policy statement of Caretaker PM Saad Hariri’s cabinet when it stressed the army-people-resistance formula.

In remarks to As Safir daily published Tuesday, Berri said the formula remains unchanged despite Hariri’s rejection to support it.

“Such substantial issues cannot become the captive of the mood” of politicians, he said in reference to Hariri.

Asked about the March 14 alliance’s attack on Hizbullah’s arms and accusations that the weapons changed the identity of the parliamentary majority, Berri said: “Is it possible that MP Walid Jumblat got scared from arms while MP Henri Helou didn’t?”

The speaker was referring to Jumblat’s nomination of Najib Miqati rather than Hariri and Helou’s choice of Hariri as premier-designate rather than Miqati.

Berri defended the prime minister-designate against March 14’s accusations, saying Miqati wasn’t part of al-Mustaqbal movement in order to turn against it. “He has always said he was a centrist.”