In an interview with the daily As-Safir published Friday, Berri paid tribute to efforts by Interior Minister Ziad Baroud and the ministry in providing citizens with new identity cards.
In case a citizen does not receive an identity card prior to the elections, Berri said he would act in coordination with the cabinet to ensure that a Lebanese is not barred from his or her right to vote.
"I am committed through the government to hold elections on time during the constitutional period, meaning between April 20 and June 29, 2009," Baroud said.
He added that election preparations are "not the responsibility of one side alone. It is a joint responsibility between cabinet and parliament."
"Coordination between myself and Speaker Berri is full," Baroud said.
He called upon citizens, electoral engines and mayors to join the ministry's efforts in providing identity card applications as soon as possible "in order to maintain the momentum of production and maybe increase it as (our) means become more prevalent."
Baroud stressed that the ministry is working on this issue non-stop.
He pointed that both military and security forces are committed to holding the elections in a single day, saying: "We have no problem up till now with the technical issue. What is important is the political and security atmosphere. This alone can guarantee holding elections on time."
Tags: Berri, Elections, Lebanon, source: Naharnet, Ya Libnan
