BEIRUT, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri warned on Monday that the U.S.-brokered framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel could trigger internal strife and threaten Lebanon's unity.
"The agreement signed in Washington is 'dictates,' not an agreement that preserves Lebanon's rights," Berri was quoted as saying by Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar.
Berri issued what he described as "the highest level of political warning," saying the agreement could "open the door to sedition and division among the Lebanese, serving the Israeli occupation."
Despite his criticism, Berri, also leader of the Amal Movement, Hezbollah's ally, said the movement would not resort to street protests or any response that could be exploited to drag the country into chaos or internal conflict.
He added that Amal ministers would participate in cabinet sessions discussing the agreement and announce their position from within state institutions.
The framework agreement, signed in Washington on Friday under U.S. mediation, aims to advance a lasting security arrangement between Lebanon and Israel and lay the groundwork for a broader peace process. It has sparked mixed reactions across Lebanon's political spectrum. ■
