Berri: Sunday Protests had Three Aims

Source: NowLebanon, 29-01-2008
Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri told the Lebanese daily An-Nahar that Sunday's bloody incidents had three aims.
"The first objective was to create a Christian-Muslim clash, and this is something we will not tolerate. As we aborted the attempts at starting a Sunni-Shia clash, we will do the same in this regard," Berri said.
He said that the second objective was to undermine the presidential candidacy of Army Commander General Michel Sleiman.
"The man promised me to open a serious investigation into Sunday's incident."
According to Berri, the third goal was to undermine the memorandum of understanding signed between the Free Patriotic Movement and Hizbullah in 2006.
Berri told the Lebanese daily As-Safir that the protests intended to undermine General Sleiman in front of the Christians.
"They wanted to portray him as being allied to bandits and outlaws, and this is why some are very happy," he added.
Berri condemned the targeting of civilians and stressed on the need to follow through with the investigation until results are reached.
Six people were killed and several others were injured during the riots that erupted on Sunday when demonstrators in Dahiyeh blocked roads to protest against power cuts.
Speaker Nabih Berri was visited yesterday by Army Commander General Michel Sleiman and Army Intelligence Services Director Major General George Khoury.
The meeting was also attended by MP Ali Hassan Khalil of the Development and Liberation bloc headed by Berri and Amal official Mohammed Al-Baalbaki.
Berri also discussed over the phone the results of the Arab meeting in Cairo with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.
During the meeting, an agreement was reached over the need to conduct a serious investigation into yesterdays' incidents and those responsible for the violence.