Jumblatt: Congress to Avenge Government

The President of the "National Struggle Front" MP Walid Jumblatt, revealed what happened in the meeting of the parliament, which brought together the leaders of the opposition, and led to overcome the obstacles for the formation of the government.
In an interview with "al - Akhbar" newspaper, Jumblatt said "I went to the Council based on prior coordination with House Speaker Nabih Berri, I assured him I'll come but will not complete the quorum of the plenary to avoid embarrassing anyone."
"Berri understood my point of view while General Michel Aoun and Haj Mohammed Raad, Suleiman Franjieh and Assaad Hardan, Talal Areslan, PM Mikati joined the meeting with Berri."

"We wished that Mikati and Aoun facilitate the formation of the government. Mikati said he did not want Jubran Basil in the Energy Ministry, I replied that the energy crisis goes back to the date when a local and regional electric detonator hit George Ephrem and sacked him from the ministry replacing him with Elie Hobeika." Jumblatt clarified.
Assuring that we don't want a problem with Aoun, Jumblatt said "Many ministers came after that they failed to develop plans and their countermeasures."

"PM agreed on having Basil in the Energy Ministry, but wished not to have Charbel Nahas in Communication. This was the formula that drove out the majority from the formation problem... It was only a Lebanese problem. We have noticed that Talal Areslan was upset, and had hoped to get a sovereign bag."
Jumblatt added that "in the next day I went to Damascus, and I said in a long interview with President Assad that Lebanon must not be Lebanon in a state of emptiness."

"On his way, Assad asked his allies to rush the formation; because the presence of a new Lebanese government eventually leads to reduce the stress on Syria. The last node was the representation of the Sunni opposition that was solved by stepping the Shiite seat." Jumblatt said emphasizing that "the Syrian President was pleased to be informed that the majority had overcome their differences. Syria has never delayed the government's formation, nor placed obstacles stood in Mikati's way or any other party to delay the presence of a Lebanese government. During Saad Hariri's days, we were all drowned in the wanted positions and counter-positions."

Following the formation of the government, June 14, Jumblatt visited the Secretary General of Hizbullah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and discussed the post-formation issues. Jumblatt said Nasrallah didn't neglect that "I had criticized Hizbullah making the party responsible for the delay in the formation of the government."
"I did not say that Hizbullah did not want to form a government, but I alerted to the need to expedite it so as not to be drown in our ridiculous demands." Jumblatt answered.

And about what happened last Friday in Tripoli, Jumblatt said that "there are many explanations about what some people did. And I learned from a reliable source that the demonstration that was organized and raised the slogan of support for the Syrian people was not scheduled to cross the street that separates the Baal Mohsen and Bab Tabanee."

"I wish all the people of Tripoli, who support the Syrian regime and those who support the Syrian people, work to neutralize their city of any internal conflict because it hurts them and Syria." Jumblatt said.
Jumblatt commented on the U.S. Congress aim to implement a counter-attack on Mikati's government through a project to prevent assistance for Lebanon by saying "I do not know whether it will be coupled with economic sanctions on the government as a result of political change, seeking the so-called Western society's act of revenge from Lebanon."
"I do not neglect the possibility that US aims at transforming Lebanon into a theatre against Syria according to the interpretation of the internal opposition and so-called international community that this is Hizbullah's government which means the government of Syria. It is a superficial interpretation, but of course I do not describe the internal opposition more than it can bear. This is a boring old drum."

Jumblatt added, "I do not know how they describe the government as a government of Hizbullah although it includes President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Mikati and I."
He noted that "President Mikati is a moderate sensible and realistic businessman with important international and excellent ties. I have not heard the Americans objection when Hizbullah was involved in Hariri's government and the Americans were helping the Lebanese army," asking "what has changed and how does Hizbullah control government which is a broad coalition?"