Jumblat Continues Efforts to End Political Crisis, Seeks Consensus among Foes
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat's initiative to end the political crisis in the country is seeking to find common ground among the political foes to end the deadlock, local newspapers reported on Wednesday.
Jumblat's initiative is based on finding an alternative to Prime Minister Najib Miqati's cabinet without causing any political vacuum in the country.
An Nahar newspaper reported that the PSP delegation, which met with President Michel Suleiman at the Baabda Palace on Tuesday, is set to hold separate talks with Speaker Nabih Berri, Miqati, Hizbullah and several parties to find consensus among them.
PSP sources told As Safir newspaper that the delegation, which includes ministers Ghazi al-Aridi, Alaeddine Terro, and Wael Abou Faour, didn't tackle with Suleiman the possibility of finding an alternative cabinet but ways to end the political deadlock.
Lebanon plunged in a political crisis on October 19 when Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch chief Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan was assassinated.
Jumblat is also seeking to convince political foes to attend a new round of the national dialogue sessions to discuss the arms of Hizbullah and other disputed matters, An Nahar newspaper said.
Sources close to Suleiman said in comments published in As Safir newspaper that the president stressed on the commitment to the Baabda Palace declaration, in particular, disassociating the country from the turmoil in Syria and the region and the resumption of the all-party talks.
Jumblat said on Monday that he would not personally make contacts with March 8 majority and March 14 opposition members as part of the PSP initiative to resolve the country's political crisis.
The March 14 alliance boycotted political activity with its foes after it blamed Miqati's government for the killing and said it would not sit at the same dialogue table with Hizbullah.
Jumblat told reporters on Tuesday that he is in an alliance with Suleiman, Berri and Miqati.
The Druze leader warned of a political vacuum, saying that he rejects any calls on his ministers to topple the cabinet.
“If we didn't find an alternative government and the current cabinet stepped down... I will name again Miqati for the premiership,” Jumblat said.
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