Jumblat Slams Lebanese ‘Bazaar’ and ‘Absurdities’ of Politics
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has described the situation in Lebanon and the crisis on the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as an “open bazaar over strange things.”
When asked by As Safir daily to comment about the situation, Jumblat, who is currently in Brussels, said he prefers to stay away from Lebanese politics and its “absurdities.”
“I don’t want to disturb my visit (to Belgium) which I carried out to participate in a ceremony” in honor of European socialist Poul Rasmussen, “who has contributed to the support for the international tribunal and backed us when we were in the March 14” forces, the PSP chief said.
Jumblat did not make any comment about reports that the ministers representing him in the cabinet would resign if the government failed to fund the STL.
Asked by al-Liwaa newspaper about the issue, an informed political source said that Jumblat along with Premier Najib Miqati have worked hard to make the government function.
“But there are always people who put sticks in its wheels,” the source told al-Liwaa.
“If Lebanon doesn’t fund the international tribunal and rejects to abide by international resolutions, it would be put in a confrontation with the international community,” the source said. “That’s why Jumblat is seeking to cooperate with the (Lebanese) officials to stir the country away from trouble.”
President Michel Suleiman, Miqati and Jumblat have backed the funding to prevent Lebanon from clashing with the international community which has been pressuring the government to meet 49 percent of the costs of the STL, around $33 million.
But Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement have rejected to pay Lebanon’s shares to the tribunal which has charged four Hizbullah members in the February 14, 2005 assassination of ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others.
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