Jumblat after his Return from Damascus: Assad Sent 'Friendly Signals' to Hariri

Druze leader Walid Jumblat discussed with Syrian President Bashar Assad efforts to defuse Lebanon tensions and consolidate unity, the state-run National News Agency said.

It said the meeting on Sunday dealt with "the latest developments on the Lebanese arena and the importance of concerted efforts of all Lebanese parties to maintain calm and consolidate national unity so as to face the challenges that may confront it in the future."

In remarks published Monday by the daily As-Safir, Jumblat said that Assad sent 'friendly signals' to Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Upon arrival from Damascus, Jumblat told al-Manar television that his meeting with Assad was "excellent."

"We will win as we won when we went through similar circumstances in the past," Jumblat assured.

Jumblat said Sunday morning, just before heading to Damascus, that Syria and Saudi Arabia are currently considering ways to resolve the crisis over the International Tribunal Indictment.

"I heard that the indictment has been postponed till March," Jumblat said during a political meeting in the town of Aanout in Iqlim al-Kharroub.

He said Lebanon cannot wait till March to relaunch crisis talks.

"Delaying the indictment means delaying the problem," he believed, adding that the issue is being tackled quietly.

"And I know that Syria and Saudi Arabia are now considering ways to deal with this issue," Jumblat uncovered.

Turning to the issue of false witnesses, Jumblat believed that voting on this issue will lead to a "big dilemma."

"Justice and stability have to go together," he stressed. "This is my motto."

Jumblat said he has conveyed his motto to U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman during his visit to Lebanon last week.

"We discussed points of disagreement, and I told him why don't we together look for other hypotheses. Of course, he (Feltman) refused," he said.

Jumblat reminded fellow citizens that they must not forget that Lebanon still faces Israeli threats.

"Every day land is being confiscated, and every day new settlements are being built. And there are dozens and hundreds of spies. So why don't we deal with these issues?" he asked.

"I would like to begin with the first spy. Perhaps he was the first to take part in the assassination, or has assassinated Majzoub brothers in Sidon. Why didn't they execute him? He is a Druze. Execute him and let us finish with this."

Jumblat called for providing weapons to the Lebanese army.

"Everybody wants the army and we do nothing for the army," he thought. "We want the army everywhere."