Jumblatt: Only political solution can end Syria crisis

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt ruled out military intervention in Syria, stressing that a political solution was the only way of resolving unrest in Lebanon’s neighbor, and blamed President Bashar Assad for Damascus’ isolation and urged the embattled leader to abide by the Arab League Initiative. Domestically, Jumblatt said he did not regret his alliance with Prime Minister Najib Mikati in the government and said the recent row over administrative appointments, which has led to the suspension of Cabinet sessions, could be resolved calmly. “We would have hoped [that the issue] not reach the [U.N.] Security Council had Assad met political reforms and all that we asked for in Moscow and with [Deputy Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey] Feltman and others was that the solution be political. No one is calling for military intervention. This scenario is impossible and we reject it,” Jumblatt told LBCI on Kalam el-Nas Thursday. “Syria is not Libya,” Jumblatt added. He warned that military intervention would lead to tremendous chaos in both Syria and Lebanon. The PSP chief, who has repeatedly called on Damascus to implement reforms and halt the bloodshed, said the Syrians had lost faith in the government and suggested a bigger observer team be sent to monitor a cease-fire. “You can’t convince the Syrian citizen in Homs or Hama or other places that there are reforms while there is blood shedding. There needs to be a cease-fire and a mechanism that can monitor the cease-fire,” Jumblatt said, adding that during the previous observer mission to Syria, which began in December but suspended last week, violations on the ground continued. “The least Assad can do is announce he agrees to the political solution and Arab League initiative and announce an end to the violence, release prisoners, order security apparatuses to halt all activities and then launch new elections and the annulment of article 8 of the [Syrian] Constitution,” Jumblatt went on to say. Article 8, which the Syrian opposition has urged be abolished, states that the Baath Party, which is headed by Assad, is the leader of the state and society. Jumblatt said Assad was to blame for the current situation after having severed ties with regional and international leaders. “President Assad is the one who cut off ties with [Qatar PM] Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim [Bin Jabr al-Thani] and [Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and [French President Nicolas] Sarkozy and now finds himself in this position,” Jumblatt said. “I am with the Syrian people but with a political solution to the Syrian crisis and for the unity and stability of Syria and hence Lebanon’s independence and unity,” he added. Speaking on local affairs, Jumblatt said he did not regret his alliance with Mikati, who Wednesday called for the suspension of Cabinet after a row with ministers loyal to Change and Reform block leader MP Michel Aoun over the thorny issue of administrative appointments. Jumblatt called for remedying the situation and said Hezbollah and Amal needed to talk with Aoun on the matter. “I do not regret my participation in the government, the issue of Mikati’s sulking can be resolved but what is needed is that our allies Hezbollah and Amal talk to Gen. Aoun. Today there is a major event in Syria,” he said. “The issue of appointments can be resolved calmly,” he added.   In an apparent warning to the Lebanon’s opposition, Jumblatt also said those wagering that Assad’s fall would lead to the disarmament of Hezbollah were mistaken. “Wagering that Assad’s fall will lead to the disarmament of Hezbollah is a mad bet because the Shiite sect today feels concerned and perhaps [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu might plunge the area into a conflict through [some action] against Iran,” Jumblatt said. The PSP leader also urged that a campaign against the head of the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces, Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan, cease and that the so-called “telecoms data” needed to be given to the security services. Beirut - The Dailt star