Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt slammed Monday the Non-Aligned Movement’s summit in Iran for its support for the Syrian regime’s “tyranny” against its people.
“It is ironic for the Non-Aligned Movement which was formed in Belgrade in 1961 by prominent leaders such as former Egyptian president Jamal Abdel-Nasser, former Yugoslavia’s president, Josip Broz Tito and former Indian prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru …..to turn itself into a movement that aligns itself with regimes that practice tyranny against their own people and support with all its might other regimes that practice unprecedented killings and oppression,” Jumblatt said in his weekly article in the al Anbaa newspaper
Jumblatt also criticized newly elected Arab leaders for attending the meeting, in an indirect reference to new Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi.
He also criticized the participation of Palestinian leaders in the summit, saying they should have more sympathy for the Syrian people, given that the regime’s practices against its people.
“It is ironic that Palestinian leaders would sit at the meeting next to those who represent the Syrian regime and support it, a regime that is doing to its people more than what Israel did to the Palestinian people,” Jumblatt said in remarks to be published in his weekly column in Al-Anbaa newspaper.
“Aren’t the Palestinian representatives aware that attending the meeting alongside a regime which has destroyed its people’s homes in a way similar to the destruction of Palestinian homes by Israel would give the latter the pretext to displace the remaining Arabs in the West Bank,” Jumblatt added.
The PSP leader also said that it was also “ironic” that the meeting would be attended by “Arab leaders who were recently elected after popular uprisings… who would sit beside those who are standing in the way of the rights of the Syrian people.”
Commenting about domestic issues, Jumblatt also reiterated his party’s position on the need to look for a mechanism that could gradually integrate Hezbollah’s arms with the Army in defense of Lebanon and to keep the decision of waging war or maintaining peace in the hands of the state.
Jumblattt also saluted the Army for slowly restoring order to Tripoli, north of Lebanon, following weeklong clashes that left at least 17 people killed and more than 120 wounded, including 11 soldiers.
He said the Army proved that it “has the ability to carry out its duties particularly when it has the political will.”
Has confidence in Suleiman
Jumblatt also said that he was reassured of Lebanon’s official stance at the summit that will be expressed by President Michel Suleiman “who will definitely underscore, through his usual audacity, what is compatible with Lebanon’s interest and not other regional interests.”
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