Jumblat Says Won't Give Up Helou's Nomination 'for the Sake of Military Man, Central Bank Chief'

by Naharnet Newsdesk almost 10 years

Timeline

Jumblat: Some demands are righteous, other are not like the six degrees issue, the compensations, and the soldiers' retirement. We have one million dollars for each army general, i.e. USD450 millions because we have 450 army generals and this is only one example. almost 10 years

Jumblat: A person cannot live while obsessing with assassinations but we must focus on economy, and in this context I advise Sayyed Hassan (Nasrallah) to consult economists because the Lebanese Lira is not Shiite, Sunni, Christian or Druze. almost 10 years

Jumblat: The Syrian regime will not emerge victorious, and if it does it will be over its people's dead bodies and what we it rule then? A desert. almost 10 years

Jumblat: Dialogue must take place with the Muslim Brotherhood because it is not possible to eliminate a large group of the population. But Brotherhood supporters must be Egyptian first and party members second. almost 10 years

Jumblat: Bashar Assad will not win and it is ethically shameful to say that he won. (Egyptian President) Sisi won but there were boycotts and major challenges which include security matters and the spread of weapons. almost 10 years

Jumblat: I have said it honestly that I will not visit Tehran because the Islamic Republic committed a major crime against the Syrian people. almost 10 years

Jumblat: We must communicate with Hizbullah and we told the party that we must turn the page on the May 7 events. almost 10 years

Jumblat: I wish Hizbullah would take pluralism in Lebanon into consideration and to accept, when it wants, the Baabda Declaration. almost 10 years

Jumblat: Hizbullah is part of a larger condition, Iran. I lament to say that we have become part of this axis. almost 10 years

Jumblat: In my opinion there is a significant group of the Syrian people who are Muslim and it is unfair not to provide them with help and consider them (members of) al-Qaida. almost 10 years

Jumblat: We can agree in a short time on an electoral law, but what's more important is electing a president. almost 10 years

Jumblat: I do not understand why I should withdraw Helou's candidacy for a military man, the Central Bank chief or others. almost 10 years

Jumblat: I prefer if major countries agree on a president and I am going forward with Helou's nomination. almost 10 years

Jumblat: Sayyed Nasrallah said there is no political solution without (Syrian President) Bashar (Assad) as if Bashar wants a political solution. He only wants himself. almost 10 years

Jumblat: I heard about the negotiations between al-Mustaqbal and the FPM but I have no idea about its content. I am steadfast and each can choose the alliance they want. almost 10 years

Jumblat on army chief Jean Qahwaji for office: We would be limiting the presidency to military figures, and then we would be saying that there is no qualified person among Maronite political figures. almost 10 years

Jumblat: I have ten MPs and it is not me who decides (on the presidency). If they reached consensus, there would be no problem. But I will not endorse (MP) Aoun or (LF chief) Geagea. almost 10 years

Jumblat: I do not oppose Aoun but I don't nominate him or vote for him. I also don't vote for Samir (Geagea). I perceive that (MP) Henri Helou conforms to President Suleiman's path, and I agree with him in trying to continue going forward with the Baabda Declaration, of course according to regional circumstances. almost 10 years

Jumblat: The presidency is not a matter of Christian popularity, but it is a principle. Can we head towards the unknown? Can we control ourselves? The balance of power will not change right now. almost 10 years

Jumblat: Speaker Berri and I do not possess all the power and I did not attend the (last) parliamentary session because I saw that it was similar to the previous ones. almost 10 years

Jumblat: A strong man, or a strong situation, is like Hizbullah. I think a strong president is one who heads a strong state. almost 10 years

Jumblat: The Islamic Republic is scoring politically and militarily on Syrian territories through the fall of Homs, which is a passage between the Mediterranean and Iran. Through (Homs') fall, the Islamic Republic took control over Syria to a certain extent, or it divided it into two parts. almost 10 years

Jumblat: We are with the resistance's presence but only to defend Lebanon. (Former) President Suleiman tried to separate Lebanon through the Baabda Declaration but the decision in this respect is not Lebanese, but in Iran. Suleiman was insulted and had great patience. We must wait for a regional moment that allows us to rule ourselves. almost 10 years

PSP chief MP Walid Jumblat in an Interview on TL: It looks like our fate in this country is to be part of the Syrian-Iranian axis now more than ever, and Lebanon cannot bear this and is under this axis' grip. almost 10 years

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat assured that he is going forward with the nomination of Democratic Gathering MP Henri Helou for presidency, stating that he will not withdraw it “for the sake of a military man or the Central Bank chief.”

"I don't oppose (Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel) Aoun but I do not nominate him or vote for him. I also won't vote for (Lebanese Forces chief) Samir (Geagea),” Jumblat said in an interview on Tele Liban which aired on Wednesday evening.

He continued: “I have 10 MPs and it is not me who decides (on the presidency). If they reached consensus, there would be no problem. But I will not endorse Aoun or Geagea.”

The PSP leader stressed that he will not give up the nomination of Helou for the sake of Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji or Central Bank chief Riad Salameh.

“I do not understand why I should withdraw Helou's candidacy for a military man, the Central Bank chief or others,” he noted.

"I perceive that (the approach of) Henri Helou conforms to (former) President (Michel) Suleiman's path, and I agree with him in trying to continue going forward with the Baabda Declaration, of course according to regional circumstances,” he added.

Jumblat explained that if Qahwaji takes office the presidency would become restricted to military figures, noting that this would suggest that there are no qualified figures among Maronite politicians.

“I prefer if major countries agree on a president and I am going forward with Helou's nomination,” he declared.

Jumblat also discussed Tehran’s influence in the region, saying that Hizbullah is part of the Syrian-Iranian axis and lamenting that Lebanon “has become part of this sphere.”

He rejected visiting the Iranian capital, considering that the Islamic Republic “has committed a major crime against the Syrian people.”

He elaborated: “The Islamic Republic is scoring politically and militarily on Syrian territories through the fall of Homs, which is a passage between the Mediterranean and Iran. Through (Homs') fall, the Islamic Republic took control over Syria to a certain extent, or it divided it into two parts.”

On the Syrian situation, he went on to say: “(Hizbullah chief) Sayyed (Hassan) Nasrallah said there is no political solution without (Syrian President) Bashar (Assad) as if Bashar wants a political solution. He only wants himself.”

“Bashar Assad will not win and it is ethically shameful to say that he won. The Syrian regime will not emerge victorious, and if it does it will be over its people's dead bodies and what will it rule then? A desert.”

On Hizbullah, he said he supported the resistance's presence “but only to defend Lebanon.”

“Suleiman tried to separate Lebanon (from regional conflicts) through the Baabda Declaration. However, the decision in this respect is not Lebanese, but in Iran,” he remarked.

S.D.B.

Y.R.

SourceNaharnet

Lebanon Politics Walid Jumblat

Comments 9

goal w quord (Guest) almost 10 years

TL could not get the World Cup so they got Jumblat.

ado.australia almost 10 years

What happened to retirement? Where is Taymour and his opinion of things?

Every day we are hearing this guy nowadays. Hariri has a chance to avenge what Jumblatt did to him as pm. Agree with aoun on the presidency and make this guy as irrelevant as he should be.

pilot (Guest) almost 10 years

Sure Hariri can make Aoun president, make this guy irrelevant and then once again collect his own one way ticket, yeah that'll happen.

karimsbro almost 10 years

You forget that Jumblat did what he did to Hariri with a gun pointed at his and his community's head. Aoun on the other hand allowed Bashar, as he'd told Sarkozy, to fire Hariri from Rabieh under the never to be mentioned again STL false witnesses pretext remember. Micho was seeing stars, salivating at the mere thought of those ten ministers and the riches to be had.

forces almost 10 years

Enough with all this political manoveuring and two faced BS. All these politicians are interested in is self preservation, holding the country hostage for their own relevance. It is time for the people to stand firmly behind the LAF and take back our dignity and future. Throw these traitors out of power and become the masters if our own fate. God bless our LAF.

forces almost 10 years

bigjohn we may share different political views but we both have the same dream that is Libnan the rose of the Middle East. Our political views will keep this vision a dream forever. We must as true patriots of our country work together on that which unites us rather than that which divides us only then will we truely have our dream and dignity back. God bless Libnan and it's LAF.

Mazen (Guest) almost 10 years

Talking as if he is Eisenhower. The man forgets that he rules 2 villages and a half in mount. Lebanon.
Mar2ad 3anze, no more.

Kola (Guest) almost 10 years

Ok avec vous wolf ! Mais quand vous parlez de general, je dirai plutôt une marionnette qui ne sait plus vers qui se tourner pour être élu!, trouvez- en un qui soit un peu plus jeune, plus diplomate, moins vulgaire et totalement neutre. Il sera peut-être accepté par toutes les parties.

mazen (Guest) almost 10 years

Ya Nasr al shaytay walla!!!! I'm Lebanese Father, grandfather, great grand father, and his fathers before him.. mother, grand mother, and her mothers.. I tell you JUMBLAT is nothing! Wait till the day sectarianism is abolished in the electoral system. He (and his heirs) will bifahfesho to their real size. Everyone counts, but not more than their real size. Go figure ya shaytan..