Report: Jumblat Will Not Withdraw Helou's Nomination, Nor Will Stand against 'Settlement'

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat will not withdraw the candidacy of his nominee MP Henri Helou for the post of president but at the same time prefers to wait until the picture clears up on the possible nomination of Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh for the post, al-Mustaqbal daily said on Sunday.

Sources of the Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc said that the bloc's chief Jumblat "prefers to wait up until the picture crystallizes,” they told the daily on condition of anonymity.

“Jumblat has briefed the bloc's members (during their meeting on Saturday) of the recent developments related to the proposed settlement, but he preferred to wait until the stances become clear at the political level in general and at the Christian level in particular,” they added.

However, they added that Jumblat's stance is positive as per the recent statement he issued following his meeting last week with al-Mustaqbal leader Saad Hariri in Paris.

The two men agreed in their Paris talks last Sunday on the need to “find a comprehensive national settlement," according to Hariri's media office.

However parliamentary sources close to Jumblat said that although the latter may not seek to freeze the settlement or stand against it, but that does not mean that he would withdraw the candidacy of his nominee MP Henri Helou.

Media reports said that a meeting between Franjieh and Hariri had sought to strike a deal with Franjieh over the presidential election.