Jumblat From Baabda: Earlier Statements Were Misunderstood, I Won”t Abandon Hariri and March 14 Principles
“Democratic Gathering” parliamentary bloc and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat said his earlier words were misunderstood; that he won”t abandon Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri out of loyalty to the friendship with the PM-designate and that with his late father former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and the principles of the cedar revolution.
"I did not and I will never abandon the prime minister designate," Jumblat said following his meeting Wednesday with President Michel Suleiman.
"My message today from Baabda to Sheikh Saad is that we continue on the same road to adhere to the established foundations regarding government formation, " he said.
Last Sunday Jumblat announced that his alliance with March 14 forces was driven by "necessity" and must not continue in the same form.
He was addressing the opening of the Progressive Socialist Party”s extraordinary general assembly.
"Our alliance with March 14 forces was driven by necessity and must not continue," Jumblat said, stressing the need "to rethink a new formation that would provide a way out of bias and prevent being pulled toward the (political) right." Jumblat said at the time.
He added he believed that March 14″s battle "did not enjoy political context."
"Our battle was built on the rejection of the other from a sectarian, tribal and political perspective," he said, calling for a return to "our principles and to the left." He said on Sunday.
"I say to my comrades in March 14, we have achieved so much. However, we need a new vision. As I come to respect the distinctiveness of some I say they have to respect the distinctiveness of the Druze," Jumblat said.
The Druze leader went on to affirm that all of what he is doing now and shall do tomorrow is to "treat the aftermath of the events of May 7"
On May 7 2008, Hizbullah fighters took to the streets of Beirut and the Shouf Mountain in protest against certain measures adopted by the Saniora government.
"I have my [own] distinct [status] within a large frame work, I have my own ethics," Jumblat said.
He went on to add that he shall respect voters” wishes that produced a parliamentary majority and minority.
"As I understood from President Suleiman there is a venture for forming a national unity government," Jumblat said.
"I came here to explain matters. Only journalist Abdel Rahman al-Rashid of As-Sharq al-Awsat understood my point of view," he said.
The “Democratic Gathering” leader was invited to remain for lunch afterwards by the president.