In a press release by the British Embassy in Beirut, it said: “British Ambassador to Lebanon, Hugo Shorter, on Wednesday called on Speaker of the House Nabih Berri in Ain El Tineh.”
Following the meeting Ambassador Shorter said: “This was my first meeting with Speaker Berri since the confirmation of the new Cabinet and Prime Minister. It was an excellent opportunity to discuss the political momentum in the country and the hopes that this government can deliver reforms which will boost the economy and provide tangible benefits for the Lebanese people. Parliament has a key role to play, both in scrutinising and enabling these reforms, and I welcome its reactivation following the election of the President and appointment of the Prime Minister.”
Ambassador Shorter added: “We also discussed the upcoming long awaited, parliamentary elections. Whichever law they are held under, I hope that key technical reforms such as pre-printed ballot papers will be implemented to ensure modern, transparent elections. I also hope to see concrete measures to increase women’s participation in parliament, and I welcome Speaker Berri’s calls for a women’s quota in this regard. But I should stress that this does not apply to parliament alone, and I hope and expect that we will see more women in the next cabinet too.”
Shorter conculded: “As the UK, we stand ready to continue delivering much-needed assistance which has already benefitted Lebanese up and down the country.”
