He confirmed that Hezbollah is aligned with Hariri's Tayyar Al Mustaqbal, Druze Walid Jumblat and Speaker Berri's Amal Movement in the May-June elections for a new Lebanese parliament, calling the alliance a "political pact"

To prove his commitment to the alliance he invited Walid Jumblatt to the Bint Jbeil rally (as the Guest of honor) and Saad Hariri, the son of Slain PM Rafik Hariri. He paid warm tribute to Jumblatt and went on to say "This is basically an alliance with defenders of Hezbollah's weapons against Resolution 1559".

Jumblatt, who was the guest speaker at the rally, has taken exception to UN resolution 1559 as far as disarming Hezbollah was concerned. Instead Jumblatt preferred to deal with Hezbollah weapons based on Al Taif Accord.

Nasrallah disclosed for the first time that he held an unpublicized meeting with ex-Premier Hariri barely a week before his assassination in which they firmed up a political pact for the future of Lebanon.

"The Hariri family was aware of the meeting and the discussions and there were other witnesses, too, to testify to the authenticity of the discussion. But I hope I won't need witnesses to corroborate what happened," Nasrallah said. "I think my word is enough."

The leader of Hezbollah said he told Hariri in the meeting "I want to hear a clear and straightforward word from you on how do you view the question of Hezbollah's weapons vis- a -vis Resolution 1559."

"Let's get a pen and paper and I will write a duly signed pledge for you," Hariri responded, according to Nasrallah, who hastened to say "I beg your pardon Mr. Premier. I didn't mean a written pledge. Your word is more than enough for me."

Hariri then said he wanted to conclude an outright alliance with Hezbollah because he reached a conviction after much thinking about the armed resistance that Hezbollah's weapons were vitally needed for Lebanon's security against Israel.

'This conviction makes me seek a lasting political pact with you. Under no circumstances will I be amenable to the use of force to disarm Hezbollah, including resolution 1559," Hariri said, according to Nasrallah's narrative.

"I swear by my son Hussam that if I take over the premiership again, I will not let anyone touch Hezbollah's arms irrespective of whatever pressure is brought to bear on Lebanon. I will view these weapons as legitimate Lebanese defensive arms until a comprehensive peace settlement is reached in the Middle East," Hariri was posthumously quoted as saying.

"Once this settlement is reached, I will come to you and say it's time to reconsider the questions of the weapons and say there is no need for them any longer. We will sit together and discuss the matter, if we agree, that would be great. If not, I will not let anyone touch you. I will simply resign and leave Lebanon for good," Hariri concluded, Nasrallah said.

"This pact is now upheld by Sheikh Saad Rafik Hariri," said Nasrallah in justifying the alliance with the ex-Premier's son and with Jumblatt's Progressive Socialist Party.

Nasrallah instructed Hezbollah's voters and sympathizers to cast ballots en masse for Hariri's three lists in Beirut and Jumblatt's list in the Aley-Baabda district, virtually wiping out any chance of an electoral coalition with Gen. Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement.

General Aoun, who failed in his negotiations with Jumblatt, is turning to Talal Arslan and Dory Chamoun for an electoral coalition in the Aley-Baabda district to counter Jumblatt's alliance with Hezbollah, Hariri and Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces. Some observers have called the Aley-Baabda election as the "mother of all election battles"

General Aoun was hoping that the failure of negotiations with jumblatt would not mean the end of negotiations with the opposition. Aoun's strategy was to use Hariri as a fall back position. It looks like this strategy also failed. MP Ghazi Aridi of the Hariri's block said: "Walid Jumblatt and saad Hariri are one and the same block and their politics are the same". Wael Abu Faour , Jumblatt's candidate for Bekaa region said " failure of alliance with Aoun in Baabda Aley, means failure in all the other regions"

Arslan held a lengthy meeting with Aoun at his Rabieh residence on Wednesday and told reporters afterwards an electoral pact with the General has been decided for the Aley -Baabda constituency.

"This much I can tell you," he said. "Details of the alliance and the names on the joint ticket will be announced by the General and l soon." Ya Libnan sources revealed that the list will be announced on Friday May, 27.

Sources: Naharnet, Al Safir, Ya Libnan