Jumblat Awaiting Elections Which Will Have “the Final Say”
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said he was still committed to non-violent rhetoric and stressed that the 2009 parliamentary elections would have "the final say."
Jumblat told As-Safir daily in remarks published Monday that he was committed to adopting calm rhetoric in line with the Doha Accord.
He said he has agreed with Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to await the parliamentary elections "which will have the final say."
About his latest visit to the U.S., Jumblat said he thanked the Bush administration for supporting the formation of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1701 and the holding of the Paris 3 conference.
He told As Safir that he stressed to U.S. officials the need to put the Shebaa Farms area under U.N. control for a transitional period following the pullout of Israeli forces from the zone.
Jumblat also told officials in Washington about the need for the state to make decisions of war and peace.
He said that himself, ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and his son Saad have stressed to the Bush administration on several occasions that the part of Resolution 1559 which deals with arms could be solved only through dialogue.
"This is what”s happening now," he said.
He said he might make another visit to the U.S. before the spring parliamentary elections to meet members of the Obama administration.
Asked if he was confident that the new U.S. administration won”t stop its support for the March 14 forces, Jumblat said: "I couldn”t meet Obama”s advisors because there is a transitional period now…It is not about being comfortable or worried…the most important thing is that we stay present so that Lebanon won”t be used as a bargaining chip."