Lebanon’s Jumblatt, Juppe meet in Paris

Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Jumblatt has slammed what he called the alleged “myth” that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a reformist, urging the Lebanese authorities not to hand over Syrian activists to the regime of the neighbouring country. Jumblatt told the Lebanese daily ‘An Nahar’ following talks with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe in Paris on Thursday, that Juppe is among one of the “rare westerners” who doesn’t believe the myth that Bashar al-Assad is a reformist. The PSP chief said in his remarks published Friday, that he discussed with Juppe the repercussions of the neighbouring 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,” Jumblatt told An Nahar. He also said that he agreed with Juppe that the Lebanese authorities should not  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.