Jumblat Seeks to Restore Ties with March 14 and Bkirki
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat seems to be making attempts to restore relations with the March 14 coalition and the seat of the Maronite church in Bkirki following his controversial speech earlier in the month.
Beirut media said Friday that a meeting was held between Jumblat and the March 14″s secretariat-general, the first such talks between the two sides since the Druze leader”s speech on August 2.
An Nahar daily said Wednesday”s meeting kick-started a serious dialogue that requires more meetings.
Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat quoted Jumblat as saying during the meeting that his latest stances were the result of fears on civil peace, which was threatened during the May 7, 2008 events and their repercussions on ties among the country”s different sects.
The Druze leader told the majority coalition that his Aug. 2 statement was necessary to change political rhetoric and take practical steps for dialogue and reconciliation. He also urged the general-secretariat to discuss regional changes and stressed on his special ties with Premier-designate Saad Hariri.
Al-Hayat quoted a source as saying that the conferees talked about the possibility of a meeting between all 71 majority MPs to stress cooperation and coordination with Hariri.
Wednesday”s meeting was followed by talks between State Minister Wael Abu Faour and Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir the next day.
Abou Faour conveyed a message of respect and appreciation from Jumblat to Sfeir on Thursday. The message also stressed the PSP”s commitment to the recent reconciliation in the mountain.
Jumblat”s message "stressed commitment to the mountains” reconciliation which produced many positive results and national achievements on the level of relations among the Lebanese," Abu Faour told reporters following his meeting with Sfeir in his summer residence in Diman.