Berri wants Sunday Session a National Ceremony

Source: Agencies, 24-05-2008
BEIRUT: Speaker Nabih Berri on Friday invited the unconstitutional Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and his government members in their personal capacities and not as legitimated ministers to take part in the scheduled Parliament session Sunday to elect head of Lebanese Armed Forces General Michel Suleiman as president.
"Berri wants Sunday's session to be a national ceremony," the sources said. "All ministers will attend ... the ones in office as well as the resigned ones ... this is not a problem at all."
The election session, scheduled for 5:00 p.m., will be attended by a number of Arab and international guests.
The European Union (EU) on Friday said in a statement that EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will attend the session on behalf of the body.
Also on Friday, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascale Andreani said Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will also attend the election.
Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who brokered the recent agreement between Lebanese rival parties, is also among the expected guests.
Reports on Friday said that the election session will be divided into three parts: the election itself, the presidential oath, and the vote on adopting a new electoral law.
Berri on Friday invited Arab foreign ministers to attend the election session.