EGYPT: LEBANESE OPPOSITION LEADER WALID JUMBLATT MEETS EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK IN CAIRO

Record ID: 566292

  • Title: EGYPT: LEBANESE OPPOSITION LEADER WALID JUMBLATT MEETS EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK IN CAIRO
  • Date: 21st March 2005
  • Summary: (BN 09) CAIRO, EGYPT (MARCH 21, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. SLV EXTERIOR OF ITIHADIYA PALACE 0.05 2. SV PHOTO-OP OF EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK MEETING LEBANESE OPPOSITION LEADER WALID JUMBLATT 0.23 3. SLV JUMBLATT ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE 0.27 4. MCU (English) JUMBLATT, SAYING: "It's not the priority now, the priority is elections. Elections, a clear-cut timetable for the withdrawal of the Syrians before the elections, then, after the result of the elections, we will see what will happen, the future for President (Emile) Lahoud." 0.45 5. LV OF JUMBLATT AT NEWS CONFERENCE 0.48 6. MCU (Arabic) JUMBLATT, SAYING: "I think that some of the methods that were used by the Lebanese intelligence to hide evidence of the crime will lead to the them being accused on some level. I think that they made great mistakes and the international communities will say: 'You are responsible for hiding evidence'." 1.17 7. LV JUMBLATT LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE 1.22 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th April 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
  • Country: Egypt
  • Reuters ID: LVA7REU426WM5ZVE5P2RO8FIZBZ6
  • Story Text: Lebanese Opposition leader Walid Jumblatt meets
    Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo and says
    Lebanon's priorities must be elections and Syrian troop
    withdrawal.




    Walid Jumblatt, Lebanon's most prominent opposition
    leader, said on Monday (March 21, 2005) the fate of the country's
    Syrian-backed president should be decided after
    parliamentary elections in May.

    Jumblatt and other Lebanese opposition figures had
    called for Emile Lahoud to step down after last month's
    assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, an
    attack they blamed on Syria. Damascus has denied any role.

    But the opposition, which is made up of several
    groupings, has sent mixed signals about when it wanted
    Lahoud to go.

    Asked if and when he thought Lahoud should resign,
    Jumblatt told reporters in Cairo after a meeting with
    Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak: "It's not a priority now.

    The priority is elections, (and) a clear timetable for the
    withdrawal of the Syrians from Lebanon before the
    elections."
    "Then, after the result of the elections, we will see
    what will happen (about) the future for President Lahoud,"
    he said.

    Key allies Hariri and Jumblatt fell out with Syria
    after it insisted last September that Lebanon's parliament,
    where a majority of deputies are pro-Syrian, renew Lahoud's
    term for another three years.

    Lebanese officials say Lahoud is not considering
    stepping down. Lahoud called on Saturday (March 19) for
    dialogue between loyalists and the opposition, a call which
    the opposition has dismissed.

    Hariri's killing sparked Lebanese opposition and
    international pressure on Syria to withdraw from Lebanon
    before the May elections.

    Damascus has already withdrawn 4,000-6,000 troops and
    a Syrian-Lebanese committee is due to meet next month to
    agree a timetable for withdrawing the remaining
    8,000-10,000 troops. At the news conference, Jumblatt also
    repeated accusations that Lebanese authorities have covered up
    aspects of Hariri's death.

    "I think that some of the methods that were used by the
    Lebanese intelligence to hide evidence of the crime will
    lead to the them being accused on some level," said
    Jumblatt.

    "I think that they made great mistakes and the
    international communities will say: 'You are responsible
    for hiding evidence'."



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