Naharnet

PSP Says May Quit Govt., Arslan Allies Also Say Ready to Resign

The Progressive Socialist Party has threatened to quit government should there be a vote on "curbing the role of PSP chief Walid Jumblat."

"The demand to resort to the Judicial Council has paralyzed Cabinet, and let them maintain their demand if they want to freeze Cabinet and halt reforms and the state's functioning," MP Bilal Abdullah of the PSP said.

"If they want to vote in Cabinet on curbing the role of PSP chief Walid Jumblat, let them tell us because we might withdraw from the government. But if they want to keep the nationsl accord government so that we overcome the difficult period, let them also tell us," Abdullah added.

"The judiciary should say its word in the file of the Qabrshmoun incident, but if they want to target Jumblat's leadership, let them tell us," the MP went on to say.

Lamenting that there is political "interference" in the work of the Military Court, Abdullah said the court can reach "final conclusions" if "they let it do its job."

Arab Tawhid Party leader Wiam Wahhab meanwhile revealed that "MP (Talal) Arslan's allies have informed him that should things reach the extent of Minister Saleh al-Gharib's resignation, they will also resign."

Arslan has insisted that the case of the deadly Qabrshmoun incident -- in which two of Gharib's bodyguards were killed -- should be referred to the Judicial Council, a top Lebanese court that looks into matters of national security.

Jumblat, who insists that Qabrshmoun's incident was not an assassination attempt against Gharib, has rejected the calls for referring the case to the Judicial Council, describing the demand as an attempt to curb his influence in Lebanese politics.

Source: Naharnet


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