Lebanese P.M. meets demand

Press, 9 May 1984, Page 10

Lebanese P.M. meets demand

NZPA-Reuter Beirut The Lebanese Prime Minister, Mr Rashid Karami, has persuaded the Shi’ite Muslim leader, Nabih Berri, to take part in his government of national unity, bringing the country a step closer to reconciliation among its warring factions. Mr Berri, leader of the paramilitary movement, Amal, agreed to join yesterday after Mr Karami met Amal’s demand that Mr Berri be made Minister of State for south Lebanon, and Reconstruction. To complete the 10-man team he announced last week, Mr Karami now faces the relatively easy task of bringing in Abdullah Rassi, a Greek Orthodox, as Minister of the Interior. Mr Rassi has refused to take part because he and his patron, a Maronite Christian former President, Suleiman Franjieh, object to the only Maronite Ministers being Right-wingers.

The Druse chieftain, Walid Jumblatt, stayed away from the first Cabinet session last week out of solidarity with Mr Berri, his main ally, but Beirut radio said that he, too, would now join. The national unity Cabinet also includes Pierre Gemayel, father of the President, Mr Amin Gemayel, and another former President, Camille Chamoun, effectively political representatives of the Right-wing Christian “Lebanese Forces” militia. Mr Berri began his career yesterday as the first Cabinet Minister drawn from the ranks of Amal by pledging to use all means to get Israeli troops out of the south. Israel invaded south Lebanon, a mainly Shi’ite area, in 1982 to drive out Palestinian guerrillas. The Israeli troops there are now fighting a Shi’ite resistance movement.