Berri, Brahimi discuss efforts to hold Geneva II

Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, and U.N.-Arab League joint peace envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, on Friday discussed efforts to hold the Geneva II conference and a political solution to the two-and-a-half year old crisis in neighboring Syria. "It was a useful meeting. We focused on the necessity to make of Geneva II a success and we also highlighted the necessity of inviting Lebanon to attend the conference," Berri was quoted as saying after the meeting by state news agency NNA. For his part, Brahimi said he is in Lebanon as part of the visits he is carrying out in the name of the United Nations in order to prepare for the Geneva II conference. "Truth is that Lebanon is saddled with too many burdens following the drastic situation in Syria. And we, in the name of the UN, thank Lebanon for the role it is assuming," he said.