Jumblatt: Hariri’s visit to Syria helps in overcoming the black period

As Al Manar TV has predicted yesterday, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt did comment about PM Saad Hariri’s weekend visit to Syria in his Al Anbaa weekly article to be published Tuesday. He wrote that it is very important step in the course of restoring Lebanese-Syrian relations as stipulated in the Taef agreement , “which was based on a Syrian-Saudi agreement.”

Jumblatt stressed that Lebanon should benefit to the maximum from the Syrian-Saudi reconciliation and from the positive atmosphere following the inter Arab rapprochement that took place at the last Kuwaiti summit

Referring to the period when Lebanon was under Syrian tutelage Jumblatt wrote “Overcoming the traces of the black period in relations between the two countries , which went beyond all limits due to the high tension that marked it , is the responsibility of the Lebanese and Syrian leaders equally, and PM Saad Hariri’s visit to Damascus is a step in this direction and helped substantially in fulfilling this goal.”

Referring to the issue of assassination that started with the attempted assassination of MP Marwan Hamadah in 2004 followed by the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri in 2005 and all the killing that took place thereafter Jumblatt wrote : “The issue of assassinations is in the hands of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and should not be a reason to disrupt Lebanese-Syrian relations,”

In reference to Israel Jumblatt wrote : The Lebanese and Syrian people and armies had set an example in facing the Israeli occupation through their common sacrifices “written in martyrs’ blood.”

Jumblatt concluded ” Despite the sensitivities and personal issues that took place during the past few years it is in Lebanon’s national interest to restore the relations based on the Taef accord and the armistice agreement with Israel. He added :” The security of Syria depends on the security in Lebanon and the security of Lebanon depends on the security in Syria “