Jumblat from Ain el-Tineh: I Did Not Discuss Presidential Vote with Berri, Nasrallah

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat blasted Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea and Free Patriotic Movement head MP Michel Aoun once again on Tuesday, denying that he discussed the presidential impasse with Speaker Nabih Berri or Hizbullah chief Sayyed Nassan Nasrallah.

"Let those among Christian figures who are holding onto their posts be reassured that we did not discuss the presidential vote with (Berri and) Sayyed Hassan,” Jumblat said after holding talks with the speaker in Ain el-Tineh, hitting out at Geagea and Aoun.

"I am not talking about everyone because (Democratic Gathering MP) Henri Helou is a centrist candidate, but the rest are hankering after the presidency. What can we do for them?” Jumblat noted.

Hizbullah and the PSP announced on Sunday that a meeting had taken place between Nasrallah and Jumblat, during which both leaders stressed the necessity to elect a new head of state.

The Democratic Gathering bloc head denied on Monday that he had asked the Hizbullah chief to stop supporting Aoun for office. He said they discussed instead the Arab and Islamic nations' main concern, which is Palestine.

Geagea, meanwhile, downplayed the Jumblat-Nasrallah meeting, saying it has “no political meaning.”

Jumblat revealed that Tuesday's talks with Berri tackled pending issues in Lebanon, expressing optimism over the new wage scale impasse.

"Hopefully we can find a solution to the new wage scale deadlock through (the efforts of) ministers Wael Abou Faour and Ali Hassan Khalil,” he said.

On the ongoing bloody war in the Gaza Strip, Jumblat said: “Those who think that they are weakening Hamas are wrong and some nations think that they are taking revenge on Hamas, but they are wrong also.”

“Hamas will emerge victorious,” he assured.

"Just like Lebanon won in 2006, Gaza will also win.”

S.D.B.

Y.R.