Jumblat Heads to Saudi amid March 8 Concerns
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat travelled to Saudi Arabia on Sunday, his first to the kingdom since the formation of the government and his joining of the new majority in Lebanon, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Monday.
March 8 sources did not hide their concern with the visit “given the impact it may have on the political balance in Lebanon since the toppling of former Premier Saad Hariri’s government” in early 2011, reported al-Liwaa newspaper on Monday.
Other March 8 sources told al-Akhbar however that the visit will not impact the government situation, especially since the MP is “satisfied with his position in government and the current political balance in which he plays the major role.”
Saudi sources revealed that the Druze leader will hold talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal and other high-ranking officials.
He will not however meet with King Abdullah.
Jumblat may also meet with Hariri, who had arrived in the kingdom recently where he held talks with the Saudi monarch.
The MP’s talks will focus on local developments, such as the discussions on the parliamentary electoral law for the 2013 polls and the ongoing dispute over it.
Jumblat had voiced his opposition to the March 8 camp’s proposal to adopt proportional representation for the electoral law, saying that it aims to limit his political weight.
Some members of the March 14 camp have advocated the adoption of the amended 1960 law that was adopted during the 2009 parliamentary elections.
Jumblat’s talks in Saudi Arabia will also center on the regional situation, most notably the Syrian crisis.
The MP has been a vocal critic of the Syrian regime, voicing his support for the Syrian people’s demands for democratic change in their country.
The Druze leader is accompanied on his visit by his son Taimur and MP Nehmeh Tohme.
23 April 2012, 08:48
21
Just make sure that Nehme Tohme hides his crucifix once he arrives at the airport!!
23 April 2012, 09:19
34
karim_m1 ..............maybe you should refrain from commenting
23 April 2012, 10:06
16
Syria and Iran have carried out more terrorism in Lebanon from 1975 to now than Saudi Arabia could ever dream to accomplish.
23 April 2012, 10:57
21
hope he will support real democracy in saoudieh and tell the leaders there that he is with the people will
23 April 2012, 13:11
13
hope mr joumblat take to saoudieh his stance on peoples will and democracy and ask the king to change his regime into a democracy like the rest of the arab world
23 April 2012, 14:17
110
Less traveling for M8 politicians, not because they don't want to, but because no one will receive them, apart from Iran, Syria, North Korea, Sudan, Ukraine, and Russia. Fine democracies.
23 April 2012, 14:54
00
walid beik is playing the farsis against the wahabies and now playing the wahabies against the salafis.. it's a dangerous game,and normal that he makes some one sided people angry.
23 April 2012, 15:21
04
Common sense, but I see mikati traveling a lot... So your claims are quite inaccurate for the least. Other hezbollahi reps are all the time in Iran or Russia. Syria is not even worth mentioning ;-)
23 April 2012, 16:06
00
he left to saudi arabia as 8, he will be back as 14,,, i hope so,,
23 April 2012, 16:46
00
This Jumb is nothing more than a whippersnapper timeserver devoid of any courage or decent moral principles
23 April 2012, 17:25
15
Its almost election time. I am sure Jumblatt is going to get some patronage money to fund the campaign and is hoping that his anti-Syrian position taken to now will be enough to secure the funding. If the Saudis ask for more, then the negotiations begin.
When the Lebanese people stop demanding patronage money from their political class as the price for their support, then the political class will end its bargaining where the chips are the soveignty of the country.
23 April 2012, 18:10
00
@ Flamethrower, everybody begs, and M8 politicians are worse. How many times Foreign minister mansour only visits Syria and Iran? rather than going out somewhere else check about lebanese in Africa for example or in Canada? anyway not long ago also the syrian Ali Abdul Karim Ali syrian ambassador to Leb visited your general personally. Everybody takes order, some need to move to get them, some receive them directly at home.
23 April 2012, 19:08
00
M8 reps don't need to travel in order to receive orders as they get it shoved down their throat at home by their Syro/Farsi bosses
23 April 2012, 19:58
05
I am glad you asked, members of the so called Party of God aka the "Party of Lies and Disinformation" are considered terrorists and are unwelcome in most countries. Besides they control the airport and their bribe money/weapons are shipped in from IRAN automatically and on schedule without having to kiss anybody's boots, so why should they go anywhere? ...lucky you, huh?
23 April 2012, 21:18
10
The kingdom of terrorism is in Damascus, in case you were sleeping for the last year, your Alawite bosses have been murdering 50-100 people per day.
23 April 2012, 22:29
00
the real master of the game:
1- he is cashing from the wahabies the price of the alawi regime(the difference between the price on year ago and the spot price)
2- he is cashing from the farsis(amal/hizballa)the price of the gvmt.the price will be the presidency of majless el shouyoukh.. which will be instated when walid beik accepts the proportionality in the next elections.. c est ce qu'on apelle en term technique swap a echeance casse.
