Jumblat Wants “Solid” Gathering with Berri, Hizbullah and Al-Mustaqbal
MP Walid Jumblat has called for the creation of a "solid" gathering with al-Mustaqbal Movement, Hizbullah and the parliament speaker because, he said, the Muslim political arenas in Beirut and the southern suburbs were "the most essential."
He was speaking in an interview with the Kuwaiti al-Awan daily to be published on Thursday.
The Druze leader asked the Christian political arena not to "be displeased with his call and to understand that the U.S. conservative policy and the Israeli policy aim to separate the Palestinian track from that of the (Arab-Israeli) conflict in order to break up the Arab world."
On Premier- designate Saad Hariri”s trip to Damascus, Jumblat said the visit will take place in the presence of Saudi King Abdullah and following the formation of a Lebanese government.
He said the government was being formed in a "positive" climate.
When asked of his visit to Syria, Jumblat replied: "Nothing is set yet.
"First the government must be formed, second the anticipated meeting between King Abdullah, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hariri should take place in Damascus and then we will cross that bridge when we get to it," he added.
"I have previously stated that I will handle the Syria issue my way," Jumblat said.
He said that Syria and the United States "needed each other" and predicted a "U.S. failure in Afghanistan as did Britain and the Soviet Union before that."
Jumblat ruled out a military strike on Iran "for the time being because U.S. President Barack Obama is restraining Israel." However, he questioned the extent to which the American leader can keep Israel in check.