Jumblat wants 'political solution' in Syria

Lebanon’s Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) MP Walid Jumblat on Thursday insisted on the adoption of a “political solution” in Syria while rejecting a military intervention.  During a talk show on LBC TV  he said: “If MP Nassib Lahoud was heard earlier, we would not have arrived to what we did today. He was the first to believe in the Arab Spring.” When asked about the recent assassination attempt on him, Jumblat said: "I prefer to have the security services talk about this among themselves and we should remove the issue of attempted assassinations from public debate.” Regarding the Syria’s crisis, Jumblat said “Assad has cut ties with everyone and made Syria suffer today. We reconciled with the Syrian regime and the Syrian people. I am with the people, but also with a political solution for Syria's unity and Lebanon's stability.”  “It is crazy to bet that the fall of the Syrian regime will result in Hezbollah handing over its weapons,” he said. He stressed on the need to for a ceasefire in Syria and to adopt a political solution. “The political solution is the best.” Jumblatt said. He pleaded with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to “declare a cease to the violence, release the detainees, abolish Article 8 of the constitution and hold elections.” “You cannot convince the Syrian citizen in Huran or any other region that there are reforms while blood is being spilled,” Jumblat said, adding that “even when the observer group went to Syria, a ceasefire did not happen.” The PSP leader rejected a military intervention which would cause “chaos in Lebanon and Syria”. When asked about Lebanese issues, Jumblatt said: “We must be firm in stating that Israel is the enemy and we should have dialogue with the resistance for gradual absorption.” He called for switching from the “People, army, and resistance” slogan to the “State of resistance", as "Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah suggested in 2006 on the dialogue table”. When asked about administrative appointments, Jumblat asked to talk with FPM leader MP Michel Aoun “in order to solve things quietly in the government.” He added: “Let us put Alice Chebtini as the head of the Supreme Judicial Council because she has seniority.” When asked about his alliance with the March 14 political group Jumblatt stated: “I am allied with President Suleiman, PM Najib Mikati, Free Patriotic Movement, Hezbollah, and Minister Suleiman Franjieh, since this team is Lebanon’s salvation at the moment.” “I will not go back to March 14, and it is not true that the closer the Syrian regime comes to collapsing, the closer I come to March 14,” he added. The PSP leader slammed Aoun for insulting victims in his previous statements stating that “they were the ones who brought him back from his exile.” About Egypt’s revolution he said: "Al-Azhar document is excellent because it respects diversity. The procrastination of the military council in Egypt is a problem. We want a civilian official even if he was an Islamist." Regarding the Palestinian cause, Jumblatt said the most important step to prevent Jordan from being a Palestinian homeland was reconciliation.