Jumblatt condemns Baysour incident, says open to dialogue

The head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt welcomed on Monday all calls for dialogue between the Lebanese parties, especially in light of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's latest stance in this regard and President Michel Sleiman's openness. Jumblatt noted that this call goes in line with his firm position supporting national dialogue and stressing that the alternative means rising tension, division and security breaches.            

In his weekly statement to al-Anbaa website, Jumblatt praised President Sleiman's position in regards to the EU blacklisting the military wing of Hezbollah, noting that his position is "strong and brave and aims at preserving stability."              

"We seek the approval of all the political parties to resume dialogue as a means to discussing pending issues and to setting up a practical mechanism for the defense strategy that must represent the state as the only institution to take the decision of war and peace, whilst also taking benefit from the experience of the Resistance in facing Israel," Jumblatt said.              

On the other hand, the head of the NSF pointed out that national dialogue opens the door to discussing the involvement of political parties in the Syrian conflict and to reconfirming the importance of the dissociation policy which has contributed to limiting the spillover of violence into Lebanon, especially in light of predictions stating that the Syrian civil war may well last over ten years.              

On the Baysour incident, Jumblatt condemned the act by which a man's [Rabih al-Ahmad] penis was severed for having married a woman without the consent of her family.                      

"Such actions will only breed further hate, leading to sectarian isolation," he said, calling on all concerned figures be they political or religious to voice a firm stance against such "barbaric acts."