Berri Says Saudi Clout Is Key.

Speaker Berri, a Shi'ite now favoured by Beirut and the US, on Oct. 9 said Lebanon was in dire need of Saudi Arabia's political clout to face the upcoming challenges. Berri returned to Beirut on Oct. 9 after a three-day visit to Jeddah, where he also met with Crown Price and Deputy PM Prince Sultan ibn Abdul-Aziz.

Berri said the priority was to create normal ties between Lebanon and Syria. Early this year, Saudi Arabia tried to mediate between the two neighbours and had presented proposals rejected by the Lebanese majority as they were seen as Syrian demands. Lebanese-Syrian relations deteriorated after the killing of Hariri and the pullout of Syrian troops. Berri said: "Saudi Arabia is very keen on Lebanon's unity, and it does not distinguish between one sect and another".

Riyadh is a staunch supporter of MP Sa'd Hariri, a son of the slain deputy PM and a key Sunni figure, and was quick to criticise Hizbullah for the capture of two Israeli troops on July 12 which caused the war. MP Michel Moussa, a member of Berri's parliamentary bloc, told Voice of Lebanon radio on Oct. 9 that the visit was aimed at "asking for the kingdom's influence in uniting Lebanon's badly divided political leaders and easing the tensions among them". Asked if Berri would visit Syria in the near future, Moussa said the speaker would be visiting several states soon to discuss "Arab-Syrian ties and their repercussions on Lebanon".

Sources quoted by the Lebanese Central News Agency on Oct. 9 said Berri might indeed visit Syria soon to discuss bilateral relations and pave the way for Siniora's visit to Damascus. Then, Berri would visit Patriarch Sfeir, with whom he would discuss a "comprehensive political programme that would start with early presidential elections and the creation of a national unity cabinet". But APS sources on Oct. 14 said Lahoud would refuse to resign before September 2007.

Berri would also work on promoting Shi'ite-Sunni relations through meetings he would hold with Sa'd Hariri. The pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Oct. 8 said the Jeddah talks were aimed at "creating an adequate atmosphere for launching Lebanese bilateral talks", a new version of the national dialogue, which was launched by the speaker earlier this year.