Jumblat Rejects Joining New Cabinet Unless it is a National Unity Government
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat stressed that he would not join a new government if it was not a national unity cabinet and said external forces have an interest in keeping the political crisis in the country.
Jumblat told As Safir daily in remarks published Friday that he will not be part of a government unless it has the slogan of "national unity" and said that the majority will rename Hariri as premier.
He also stressed on the previously agreed cabinet formula of 15-10-5.
"Some external forces have an interest in what happened and they don”t want a meeting between Syria and Saudi Arabia to protect the Taef" accord, Jumblat told Hizbullah”s al-Manar TV.
"We should now resort to constitutional norms by speeding up the parliamentary consultations," he added.
Jumblat said the opposition should have been less "harsh" in its demands and wished Hariri had taken his time before deciding to bow out.
In other remarks to pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat, the Druze leader called for "calm political rhetoric to avoid tension," and said: "Let the rational language of dialogue (be used) rather than engaging in accusations."
The Druze leader accused some American and Arab circles of rejecting an understanding between Riyadh and Damascus. He told As Safir that Saudi-Syrian ties are important for safeguarding the Taef accord and civil peace in Lebanon.
He reiterated that he doesn”t want "S-S" relations to be at the expense of Iran.
The MP also told Asharq al-Awsat that Saudi-Syrian-Egyptian contact was necessary to ward off attempts by major powers to hit at "what remains from Arab solidarity."
"The Americans were able to create chaos … They want to liquidate the Palestinian cause the same way there are those who want sectarian strife to shred Lebanon apart," Jumblat told As Safir.