Jumblat against Elimination, Veto Power
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat hailed as "positive" a stance by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
In an interview with As Safir newspaper published Tuesday, Jumblat said a "new phase began with the emergence of parliamentary election results, but not on basis of eliminating any group."
"On the contrary, it is a new phase emphasizing the importance of dialogue on all the core issues," he stressed.
In a separate interview with BBC Arabic, Jumblat rejected giving the opposition veto power.
Veto power was only used to obstruct the international tribunal, Jumblat said.
"Now that the tribunal is outside Lebanon, there is no need for veto power," he added.
Jumblat feared elections could lead to the emergence of a new tripartite Druze-Sunni-Maronite alliance similar to that of 1968 which was conducive to the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war back then.
The Druze leader supported the nomination of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri for another term.
As Safir quoted sources close to Jumblat as saying the PSP leader would also support naming MP Saad Hariri as Lebanon”s new prime minister if it was Mustaqbal movement leader”s wish.
The daily, citing political sources, said in light of the election outcome, countdown begins for the long-awaited Jumblat-Nasrallah meeting.