Jumblat Voices Support to Cabinet, Denies Requesting a Meeting with Nasrallah

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stressed that Lebanon can “overcome instability,” voicing his support to the cabinet that was able to prevent civil “strife and vacuum.”

“Maybe the developments need some time” to be resolved, Jumblat told al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday.

He stressed that his relations with Prime Minister Najib Miqati are “stronger than many people think.”

Jumblat denied that he had requested a meeting with Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, noting that any talks that would be held with the party’s leader must aim at maintaining stability in the country.

“I will not request one,” he said.

However, the Druze leader expressed belief that dialogue with Hizbullah is a priority to prevent the country from any negative repercussions caused by the developments in Syria.

“The problem is that Hizbullah is holding onto its stances,” Jumblat told the daily, noting that the U.S. administration’s position towards Hizbullah and Miqati’s government has been flexible “which is considered a huge change comparing with its stances a year ago.”

Concerning the cabinet dispute over the wage boost decision, the MP criticized Minister of Labor Charbel Nahhas’ new proposal, admitting that he supports the deal that Miqati sponsored at the Baabda Palace last month between the General Labor Confederation and the Economic Committees.

The two sides agreed on setting the minimum wage at LL675,000 – a sum that excludes the transportation allowance.

The new proposal of Nahhas, who is loyal to Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, suggests a 100 percent increase on the first bracket under LL1 million and 25 percent on the second bracket above LL1 million. But LL200,000 will be deducted from the wages due to the raise approved by the government in 2008, which indicates that the new minimum wage will be LL800,000.

Jumblat, according to al-Akhbar, is holding onto the Taef accord regarding the electoral law showing some leniency towards the proportional representation proposed by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel “because it’s the only solution and it guarantees the country’s stability.”

He denied that the “Democratic Gathering” was revived, holding onto the party’s new leadership council, a move aimed at “injecting new, young blood” into the PSP.

In January 2007 Jumblat announced the end of his Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc, after four MPs of the 11-member gathering decided not to back his candidate for the premiership.

He named his new bloc the National Struggle Front including MPs Ghazi Aridi, Wael Abu Faour, Akram Shehayyeb, Alaeddine Terro, Nehme Tohme and Elie Aoun.

The four MPs who are not part of Jumblat's bloc anymore are Marwan Hamadeh, Henry Helou, Antoine Saad and Fouad al-Saad.