Jumblat Pledges Defense Strategy Blueprint
Democratic Gathering leader Walid Jumblat on Thursday announced that he would present his own blueprint on the defense strategy to empower the army and the state.
Jumblat, addressing a press conference at his Beirut residence, said the International Tribunal would be "born soon" to try suspects in the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and related crimes, stressing "we have high hopes in justice in Lebanon and throughout the Arab world."
Jumblat, noting "we are not terrorists," said the issue of Hizbullah weapons is a "domestic topic."
He said he would choose the proper time to meet "the brethren from Hizbullah."
Jumblat reiterated calls for implementing the Taef accord, by which parliament would be elected on a non-factional base and a senate would be set up to represent the various sectarian communities.
In answering a question on whether the new U.S. president would change Washington”s policy on Lebanon, Jumblat said: "I do not think any American president would be able to overstep the principles of sovereignty, freedom and border demarcation."