Jumblat Rejects Defense Strategy Counterfeit Party
Democratic Gathering leader Walid Jumblat declared Sunday his boycott of a committee assigned to tackle the issue of defense strategy because "I reject taking part in the counterfeit party."
"We would not take part in the counterfeit party. That is why we withdrew our representative (retired) Col. Sharif Fayyad from the defense strategy committee," Jumblat told reporters after talks with Premier Fouad Saniora.
Jumblat also emphasized on the need to hold parliamentary elections on its June 7 schedule, saying "let the side that enjoys wider backing for its political, social and development plans win."
Democratic Gathering sources were quoted earlier by the daily an-Nahar as saying Jumblat”s stand was in response to Defense Minister Elias Murr”s stand on appointing a certain army officer to the wiretapping department at the minister of communications..
Last Monday a ministerial meeting discussed the sensitive issue of government wiretapping during which Murr criticized the role and delegation of Col. Daniel Faris to the Ministry of Telecommunications, the sources said.
However, in public remarks made after the meeting "Minister Murr defended the delegation of Col. Faris," Democratic Gathering sources told al-Nahar.
They said more political transparency is needed to better understand what goes on within the military and defense institutions.