Jumblat Rejects Iran Grant, Coordination with Syria as He Refuses Terrorist Label for Nusra
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Tuesday rejected any military coordination between the Lebanese and Syrian armies and warned that the proposed Iranian grant would create “obstacles” for the country.
“It is inevitable to reach an internal settlement in order to preserve the military institution and address the repercussions of the Syrian war on Lebanon,” Jumblat said in an interview on OTV.
“It is intolerable to cooperate with the Syrian state and we cannot coordinate with a regime that is killing its people,” he added.
Commenting on Iran's recent announcement that it is willing to provide the Lebanese army with weapons, Jumblat advised against such a step.
“Arms are welcome, even if they come from China, but we actually cannot take weapons from Iran. I'm not saying I'm against the offer, but the Iranian grant would create obstacles that we are better off without,” said Jumblat.
Asked about Defense Minister Samir Moqbel's planned visit to Tehran, the PSP leader said he does not think the trip will yield any results.
Responding to a question about al-Nusra Front, al-Qaida's official Syria affiliate, Jumblat said “al-Nusra Front is consisted of Syrian citizens.”
“I reject the U.N.'s label for it and I don't label it as terrorist and we must cope with this situation in Syria,” he added.
The PSP leader warned that Syria will “turn into shreds” in the absence of a political solution, stressing that “the regime cannot continue to rule” the war-torn country.
“No component of the opposition should be excluded and even the Islamic State must be asked about its objectives in Syria,” Jumblat went on to say.
He noted that Syrian President Bashar Assad “must be eliminated from the regime and the army must be purified of criminals, or else the war will be long and the Syrian army will be depleted.”
“I believe that Saudi Arabia wants a political solution in Syria but it cannot impose it on its own and it will seek the help of Iran and Turkey,” he said.
Commenting on the recent deadly battle between the Lebanese army and jihadist groups in and around the border town of Arsal, Jumblat said “it is not for politicians nor for journalists to discuss the military incidents in Arsal, because the army defended courageously and recaptured posts.”
“I had expected such an assault,” Jumblat pointed out, referring to the August 2 attack on the town, during which 19 Lebanese troops were killed and around 35 soldiers and policemen were taken hostage.
“We must unite behind the army and equip it and obligatory conscription must be reinstated in order to introduce 10,000 to 15,000 troops,” said Jumblat.
As for Hizbullah's controversial intervention in Syria, the PSP leader noted that the party cannot withdraw from the neighboring country “without a decision from the Islamic Republic of Iran and an agreement with Saudi Arabia.”
“From the very first moment, we said we had different interpretations of the Syrian crisis but now we must immunize ourselves, end the bets and suspend the dispute in order to protect Lebanon. We cannot keep asking the party to withdraw from Syria, as neither I nor others have the ability to persuade it,” added Jumblat.
Y.R.
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14 October 2014, 22:53
Jumblat: We cannot deny Aoun's Christian and non-Christian representation.
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14 October 2014, 22:52
Jumblat: I don't have a veto on anyone in the issue of the presidency, and if a settlement takes place, I won't be an obstacle in anyone's face. I'm still endorsing the candidate Henri Helou, unless he decides to withdraw.
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14 October 2014, 22:48
Jumblat: I visited General Aoun then minister Franjieh and Sheikh Amin Gemayel. I will have lunch with Dr. Geagea this week and I will discuss with him the idea of suspending the disputes amid this enormous darkness in the region.
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14 October 2014, 22:45
Jumblat: I'm not obstructing the presidential vote and there is no regional umbrella at the moment. There is neither U.S.-Iranian dialogue nor Iranian-Saudi dialogue regarding Lebanon.
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14 October 2014, 22:39
Jumblat: Hizbullah cannot withdraw from Syria without a decision from the Islamic Republic of Iran and in agreement with Saudi Arabia. From the very first moment, we said we had different interpretations of the Syrian crisis but now we must immunize ourselves, end the bets and suspend the dispute in order to protect Lebanon. We cannot keep asking the party to withdraw from Syria, as neither I nor others have the ability to persuade it.
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14 October 2014, 22:32
Jumblat: We must strengthen the Lebanese army and immunize it politically, from Akkar to the South, but I reject coordination with an army that is killing its people.
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14 October 2014, 22:19
Jumblat: Al-Nusra Front is consisted of Syrian citizens and I reject the U.N.'s label for it. I don't label it as terrorist and we must cope with this situation in Syria.
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14 October 2014, 22:14
Jumblat: I'm not arming my supporters and the approach is to back the state and only the state.
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14 October 2014, 22:12
Jumblat: Arms are welcome, even if they come from China, but we actually cannot take weapons from Iran. I'm not saying I'm against the offer, but the Iranian grant would create obstacles that we are better off without. I do not advise the defense minister to go to Iran.
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14 October 2014, 22:09
Jumblat: It is intolerable to cooperate with the Syrian state and we cannot coordinate with a regime that is killing its people.
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14 October 2014, 22:01
Jumblat: It is inevitable to reach an internal settlement to preserve the military institution and to address the repercussions of the Syrian war on Lebanon.
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14 October 2014, 22:00
Jumblat: Qahwaji might have certain information but it is better not to discuss them in public. We must unite behind the army and equip it and obligatory conscription must be reinstated in order to introduce 10,000 to 15,000 troops.
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14 October 2014, 21:58
Jumblat: It is not for politicians nor for journalists to discuss the military incidents in Arsal, because the army defended courageously and recaptured posts and I had expected such an assault.
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14 October 2014, 21:49
Jumblat: The coalition's airstrikes are targeting the infrastructure in Syria. They are striking the oil wells to dry them up and I don't know why they're bombing the wheat silos.
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14 October 2014, 21:37
Jumblat: I believe that Saudi Arabia wants a political solution in Syria but it cannot impose it on its own and it will seek the help of Iran and Turkey.
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14 October 2014, 21:32
Jumblat: Bashar must be eliminated from the regime and the army must be purified of criminals, or else the war will be long and the Syrian army will be depleted.
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14 October 2014, 21:31
Jumblat: No component of the opposition should be excluded and even the Islamic State must be asked about its objectives in Syria.
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14 October 2014, 21:30
Jumblat: The spread of chaos around Syria is an old Israeli dream and whoever said that Syria is the heart of the Arab region was not mistaken.
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14 October 2014, 21:29
Jumblat: Bashar cannot stay. He has taken the Alawites to the point of no return and the solution can only be political. I don't care about the Syrian regime but rather about Syria and Syria's unity.
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14 October 2014, 21:26
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat in an interview on OTV: Syria will turn into shreds in the absence of a political solution and the regime cannot continue to rule Syria.
14 October 2014, 21:42
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Jumblat: The spread of chaos around Syria is an old Israeli dream and whoever said that Syria is the heart of the Arab region was not mistaken.
how does he know about Israel's dreams...! What credibility does this man have?! In the West, people would laugh at such statements. Typical bankrupt Lebanese politicians vying for airtime on bankrupt media outlets.
14 October 2014, 21:44
108
that's funny! there is a book called "The Secrets of Israel's Dreams" written by Nasser Kandil you might want to read:)
15 October 2014, 11:01
88
of all the rubbish uttered by joumblatt, it's funny that only this caught your attention and made you want to defend israel immediately.
i'm not saying you're an israeli paid shill, of course not, but you do have a strange sense of priorities for a lebanese named ashtah.
15 October 2014, 11:05
88
as for joumby, two days ago he sounded sober and i wondered when he'd get high again. i guess i got my answer.
if nusra, a qaeda subsidiary that claimed dozens and dozens of car bombs in civilian areas in syria and elsewhere, is not terrorist, then joumblat is not an idiot.
15 October 2014, 11:21
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You beat me to it mowaten. I was thinking the same thing, exactly the same! We are so so similar: we are both narcissists, both shia extremists who pretend to be moderates, both have an inferiority complex, both pretend to be secular, and both have multiple accounts. I just hope readers don't think we are the same poster.
15 October 2014, 12:07
85
of all the sectarian idiots in the world, it's funny that nassrallah appointed you the police of this site. I don't need a certificate in patriotism from filth of your kind.
14 October 2014, 21:54
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Ashta w 3asal, the point is not about the dream, what's important is that current rulers of syria have reached there limits long time ago and the solution come from all external and internal powers should come with a quick solution or syria will be pieces.
14 October 2014, 23:32
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Jumblat: We cannot deny Aoun's Christian and non-Christian representation.
--How much did OTV pay him for that comment? Lol
14 October 2014, 23:36
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Tricky tricky jumblat. I never trust this guy, but what he says usually ends up right...
What I find interesting though is Berri said its iran Saudi talks that are stopping Hezbollah withdrawal from Syria and now jumblat says its not them. They are all a bunch of thiefs I'd say.
14 October 2014, 23:41
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Jumblat: Hizbullah cannot withdraw from Syria without a decision from the Islamic Republic of Iran and in agreement with Saudi Arabia. From the very first moment, we said we had different interpretations of the Syrian crisis but now we must immunize ourselves, end the bets and suspend the dispute in order to protect Lebanon. We cannot keep asking the party to withdraw from Syria, as neither I nor others have the ability to persuade it.
--since when does Iran need Saudi Arabia's permission to make Hezbollah withdraw from Syria? And how do we immunise ourselves, is there a vaccine?
14 October 2014, 23:43
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Jumblat: The coalition's airstrikes are targeting the infrastructure in Syria. They are striking the oil wells to dry them up and I don't know why they're bombing the wheat silos.
--Looool always trying to sound like the humanitarian...
14 October 2014, 23:47
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Jumblat: Al-Nusra Front is consisted of Syrian citizens and I reject the U.N.'s label for it. I don't label it as terrorist and we must cope with this situation in Syria.
--Guys, from now on Nusra aren't terrorists, because the great Walid Jumblatt said they're not...
14 October 2014, 23:48
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Jumblat: Arms are welcome, even if they come from China, but we actually cannot take weapons from Iran. I'm not saying I'm against the offer, but the Iranian grant would create obstacles that we are better off without. I do not advise the defense minister to go to Iran.
--Just admit it Jumbo: you don't want arms from Iran because it will lead to further Hezbo infiltration of the LAF
14 October 2014, 23:52
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Jumblat: I'm not arming my supporters and the approach is to back the state and only the state.
--So who were the PSP fighters defending Chouf during 7 Ayyar??
14 October 2014, 23:58
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Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat in an interview on OTV: Syria will turn into shreds in the absence of a political solution and the regime cannot continue to rule Syria.
--will turn into shreds?? The whole country lies in rubble Jumbo...
15 October 2014, 00:41
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He is scared from the terrorists in Iklim al Kharroub inching towards the Chouf in addition to the al Nusra terrorists, who (with the help of the israelis) are inching towards hasbaya from the golan region.
He would much rather kiss their ass than criticize them,
15 October 2014, 07:02
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@jacob-dastona...Your premise is not backed by evidence and is debatable.
15 October 2014, 11:20
78
"who hates the US/West/Israel/Jews"
for the US/West and ISrael they're totally detestable so i dont see what's wrong with that.
as for jews your statement is totally untrue. typical israeli of propaganda agent trying to depict israel as the only possible home for jews.
look up iranian jews and see how they live, how they're represented in parliament, how their rights and lives are respected.
15 October 2014, 12:14
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dont limit yourself to the hasbara propaganda, see for yourself in this very rare french documentary. the reporter has vodka shots in a jewish shop in teheran and then meets with jewish iranians. see what they have to say themselves.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhc3b8_ne-dites-pas-a-ma-mere-que-je-suis-en-iran-5-6_news
