Jumblat Wonders Why Beirut is Rushing to Normalize Ties with Damascus
Druze leader Walid Jumblat said Army Commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji”s visit to Damascus was premature and wondered why Lebanon was rushing toward normalization of relations with Syria.
Why take quick steps toward normalizing ties with Damascus which has not yet committed to a timetable over Shebaa Farms area, Palestinian arms outside refugee camps in Lebanon, Fatah al-Islam terrorist group and demarcation of the border?, Jumblat told As Safir daily in remarks published Monday.
He wondered whether the cabinet had set the agenda for Qahwaji”s visit to the Syrian capital.
"Yes, I have a problem with this behavior which is moving quickly towards normalization (of relations) and is forgetting about the essence," Jumblat said in response to a question.
Qahwaji discussed with Syrian President Bashar Assad on Saturday topics of interest to the Lebanese Army, including border control and demarcation, the fate of missing Lebanese citizens and exchange of army training programs.
Qahwaji also met with other Syrian officials.
As Safir quoted a source from MP Saad Hariri”s al-Mustaqbal movement as saying that the party didn”t mind any coordination between the institutions of both countries, but stressed that it would be better for visits to take place after the exchange of ambassadors between Beirut and Damascus.
The source also expressed concern about Syrian procrastination in the establishment of diplomatic ties.