Jumblat Criticizes Assad’s Reform ‘Myth,’ Warns against Handing over Activists to Syria
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has slammed what he called the alleged “myth” that Syrian President Bashar Assad is a reformist, urging the Lebanese authorities not to hand over Syrian activists to the regime of the neighboring country.
Jumblat told An Nahar daily following talks with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe in Paris on Thursday, that the minister is among the rare “westerners who didn’t believe the myth that Bashar Assad is a reformist.”
The PSP chief said in his remarks published Friday that he discussed with Juppe the repercussions of the neighboring country’s crisis on Lebanon, stressing that they agreed on the “need to protect Syrian refugees escaping to Lebanon from the violence of the Syrian authorities.”
They also discussed the duty of Lebanese authorities to respect the stance of the international community from the refugees and provide them with the necessary assistance.
“Some Lebanese circles with close ties to the Syrian regime are hesitating in assisting them,” Jumblat told An Nahar.
He also said that he agreed with Juppe on their rejection for Lebanese authorities to hand over members of the Free Syrian Army and other Syrian activists to the authorities in Damascus.
“The fate of those previously handed over to the regime’s apparatuses has been the death penalty,” he warned.
Jumblat and Juppe also agreed to urge the Lebanese authorities to respect the international sanctions imposed on the Assad regime.
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