Jumblatt: Syria and its Lebanese allies must not employ the new agreement
MP Walid Jumblatt, head of the Democratic Gathering bloc, described the Doha Agreement as excellent. But he also warned, “the devil is in the details.”
“If the opposition has taken a one-third share in the government, I hope it will not obstruct the decisions taken by consensus,” Jumblatt told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat daily.
He also stressed the need for Arab protection to prevent Syria or its Lebanese allies from dominating the new solution’s implementation, as happened after the Taif Agreement.
“In 1989, Saudi Arabia put gigantic efforts into stopping the Lebanese civil war through an immense settlement,” Jumblatt, in reference to Taif.
According to Jumblatt, the Syrian regime did not implement the Taif Agreement, but rather applied it the way they wanted in Lebanon, “until we reached the major crisis which was the extension of former President Emile Lahoud’s mandate.”
He further observed that a new Arab settlement, under different circumstances and in a different regional and international climate, has been reached.
“Yet, we must not forget the efforts made by Saudi Arabia to avoid strife in Lebanon since the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri, especially when it managed to lift the siege off the Grand Serail.”
Jumblatt called on Qatar and the Arab League to continue supporting and assisting Lebanon.
“The primary issue is Hezbollah’s weapons. The Doha Agreement, like the Taif Agreement, has reiterated the Truce Agreement between Lebanon and Israel and the state’s monopoly on the matter of weapons,” Jumblatt declared.