Minister of Information in the caretaker government, Ziad Makkari, stated that the initiative launched by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri for dialogue is "the only breakthrough recorded in the wall of the current political crisis." He pointed out that "breaking the presidential crisis requires either internal dialogue or external initiative." In a radio interview, Makkari noted that "there is a team that refuses dialogue and any proposed initiatives," ruling out the possibility of a quick solution to the crisis that Lebanon is enduring.
Regarding the opposition's view that President Berri's initiative "would not have come without his confidence in securing the quorum for the electoral session and the election of Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh as president," Makkari said, "If this is how the democratic game works, they should adhere to it." He lamented the "existence of a weapon of obstruction in the hands of both teams," anticipating the possibility of a "serious breakthrough in the presidential scene toward the election of Suleiman Franjieh, if the majority of parties agree to dialogue and secure the quorum."
Responding to a question about Suleiman Franjieh's responsiveness to the demands of the "Free Patriotic Movement" as a condition for his election to Baabda, Makkari affirmed that "Minister Gebran Bassil's demands are not partisan and deserve to be studied seriously in pursuit of achieving them." He addressed those who say that Suleiman Franjieh's presidency would mean consolidating Hezbollah's control over the country, saying: "He is the same person who elected Michel Aoun as President of the Republic seven years ago. It is good to read the history of each person. Those who speak in this way, according to their logic, should have a clean history in electing the President of the Republic." Makkari concluded, "Only a unifying president from the various forces in Lebanon can come forward, and this applies to Suleiman Franjieh."
