Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt said on Monday that he rejected Iran using Lebanon to affect its negotiations with western countries over its nuclear program, and likewise opposed regional countries using Lebanon to fight Iran.
Lebanon is not the Gaza Strip; we do not want the Islamic Republic [of Iran] to use Lebanon to improve its position in negotiations with the US, and we do not want some of the Arab axes to use Lebanon to fight Iran, Jumblatt said during a press conference held to launch his partys dialogue initiative.
Jumblatt also reiterated the importance of dialogue to resolve the current political impasse in Lebanon.
Only dialogue can serve Lebanon, and not fiery rhetoric, Jumblatt said, while calling to follow the advice of international powers, which said that the cabinet can be changed only if the circumstances were suitable for such change.
He also said that if the cabinet falls, he would nominate Prime Minister Najib Miqati for a second term.
Last week, Public Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridiannouncedthat the PSP had prepared a new initiative whose primary goal is to repel the fear of internal strife.
Parliamentary work in Lebanon has been disrupted since the opposition March 14 coalitionannouncedthat it would cut all ties with the current government, including meetings held by parliamentary committees to discuss proposals transferred by the cabinet.
The boycott decision followed theassassinationof Lebanons Internal Security Forces intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan on October 19 in Beiruts Ashrafieh.
The PSP leader also said that Hezbollah and some March 14 parties were participating in the conflict in neighboring Syria.
The resistance [Hezbollah] is not abiding by the disassociation policy slogan and some of the March 14 parties fight in Syria [without realizing that] they are tools in a conflict that is greater than Lebanon, Jumblatt said.
The Lebanese political scene is split between pro-Syrian regime parties affiliated with the March 8 alliance spearheaded by Hezbollah and western-backed forces associated with the March 14 coalition.
Jumblatt also said that there was no need to constantly remind that Hezbollah members were indicted by the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon for involvement in in the murder of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
Is it necessary to remind of [the STLs indictment] every time and everywhere? Dont some people realize that this reminder would further increase the split between the two [Muslim] sects? Jumblatt asked.
The Netherlands-based court indicted four Hezbollah members in Hariris killing. However, Hezbollah strongly denied the charges and refuses to cooperate with the court.
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