Jumblat from Russia: Lebanon’s Commitment to STL Doesn’t Mean it Will Allow Foreign Meddling
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat announced on Wednesday that Lebanon is committed to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s decisions, adding however that this does not mean that foreign meddling in Lebanon is permitted.
He made his statements after holding talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his ongoing visit to Russia.
The MP noted that some sides in Lebanon, including Hizbullah, view the STL as a conspiracy against them, noting that these powers are also part of the Lebanese government.
This is a matter that should be taken into consideration, said the Druze leader.
Jumblat stated: “Russia has long stood by Lebanon and it is still doing so.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the MP stressed after holding talks with Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov that dialogue is necessary in resolving disputes in Lebanon and Syria, reported Moscow News.
A source close to the MP told the news agency that the Russian side voiced “great interest” in holding talks with the Lebanese official.
For his part, Jumblat was quoted as saying: “The Russians are our friends and coordinating with them is important.”
The talks addressed the STL, which the two officials agreed that justice should not be achieved at the expense of Lebanon’s stability.
“Lebanon will face difficulties in handing over any Lebanese suspect to the STL,” stated the source.
On the situation in the Middle East, Jumblat and Bogdanov agreed that the situation in the region needed to be addressed through dialogue, it continued.
“They both agreed that the security option in tackling the anti-regime protests in Syria can no longer continue and Syrian President Bashar Assad should immediately implement reform,” it added.
At the end of June, the STL issued a first indictment and arrest warrants against four Hizbullah members suspected of being involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The party had denounced the tribunal as being an American-Israeli product, saying that it would not cooperate with it.
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