Beirut, OCtober 11: Hassan Nasrallah, head of Lebanon’s opposition movement Hezbollah, and Walid Jumblatt from the Western-backed majority Saturday urged the formation of a unity government “as soon as possible.”
“Both sides agreed on the need to overcome as soon as possible the obstacles hindering the formation of a new government,” they said in a joint statement after a rare meeting Friday night. The two leaders last met on June 19, their first encounter in three years.
It is worthy to note that the plea for unity by Nasrallah and Jumblatt comes after King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad Thursday called for a unity government
At the end of a landmark two-day visit to Damascus by the King, the leaders stressed “the importance of the agreement amongst the Lebanese, who (are likely to) find common ground to form a government of national unity,” Syria’s state news agency SANA reported.
“With regard to Lebanon, the two sides emphasized the importance of achieving the unity and stability of the country through the strengthening of consensus among its group and speeding up the formation of a national unity government,” said a joint communique’ issued at the conclusion of the visit.
Militants from the Shiite movement Hezbollah and supporters of Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) fought deadly clashes in the Druze mountains in May 2008 during nationwide strife between the majority and minority blocs.
Druze leader Jumblatt announced in August that he was “leaving the majority” in Parliament, but changed his mind 24 hours later.
Analysts say his action complicated efforts by prime minister-designate Saad Hariri to form a government.
Hariri has tried without success to form a national unity government since June, when his coalition clinched victory in a general election over a Hezbollah-led alliance backed by Syria and Iran.
–Agencies–