Jumblat Says he ‘Gave Up,’ Hints Aoun Behind Cabinet Delay
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat denied that his latest stance from Hizbullah was aimed at requesting a “political asylum back to the March 14 forces,” As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday.
“I am frustrated and depressed. I gave up,” Jumblat said.
He stressed that his last cry didn’t lead to any result. The newspaper quoted him as saying that “I won’t repeat it, I can’t and I don’t want to disagree with them, I refuse to do anything.”
Jumblat was referring to his remarks about Hizbullah’s rejection to form the new cabinet. He told al-Akhbar daily last week that the Shiite party was putting Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun at the forefront of the government formation problems.
The PSP leader noted that the cabinet formation obstacle is local and “Hizbullah can sort it out especially with Michel Aoun.”
Hinting that Aoun was behind the delay in the cabinet formation, he said: “It’s wrong to say that (PM-designate) Najib Miqati is the obstacle. He seems to be giving up just like me, and he is frustrated.”
“He already answered to all Aoun’s terms what more can he do?” Jumblat wondered.
He rejected accusations that his meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman during his last visit to Beirut was a “conspiracy.”
“Feltman came to Lebanon to try putting some pressure on Syria,” he stressed, refusing to reveal the details of his closed-door meeting with the U.S. official.
The MP told the newspaper that “some parties are busy with their personal wars, while the administration, army, and security are handicapped.” He hoped that Saad Hariri would carry out his duties as caretaker PM.
When asked about the repercussions of the indictment that will be issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, he said that “even if the indictment was issued nothing will change. It’ll be forgotten after a while.”
As Safir reported that the PSP leader came back from Doha overnight, feeling more concerned after he saw a decisive Qatari decision refusing to resume the dialogue and contacts with the Syrian leadership.
Jumblat held a meeting with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who held the Syrian president responsible for abolishing the Doha agreement.
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