PSP media official Rami Rayyes says in exclusive interview with Al-Manar website MP Walid Jumblatt’s latest stance believed to be an alarm addressed to his allies in the new majority

Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) media official Rami Rayyes said that the latest stance of the head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt, in which he stated that he was frustrated, depressed and that he gave up, was believed to be an alarm addressed to his allies in the new majority, after all his efforts with President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister-Designate Najib Miqati have reached a dead-end.

In an exclusive interview with Al-Manar website, Rayyes said that “Jumblatt has made enough initiatives throughout the previous phase and called for putting an end to what he called the absurd demands and the mutual doubts here and there”.
While he defended the PM-Designate “who fulfilled all demands of the various blocs”, Rayyes ruled out the presence of external factors obstructing the cabinet formation, and highlighted that “the regional challenges should accelerate the cabinet formation, not the opposite”.

Addressing the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun, Rayyes wondered whether “the rights of the Christians are be fortified through the collapse of the state”. He also addressed Hezbollah, where he wondered whether “the fall of the state and its institutions fortifies the Resistance”.

JUMBLATT’S EFFORTS FAILED
Rayyes described PSP leader’s stance as an alarm given that the current void could not continue.
Jumblatt has announced that he was depressed and frustrated. “I gave up,” he said in remarks published on Tuesday. He stressed that his last cry didn’t yield any result. “I won’t repeat it, I can’t and I don’t want to disagree with them, I refuse to do anything,” he was quoted as saying.

According to Rayyes, Jumblatt wanted to say that all his efforts with President Michel Sleiman and PM-Designate Najib Miqati, alongside other blocs, have reached a dead-end or at least did not succeed.
Rayyes said that “the PSP leader was concerned with the internal status-quo and the economic deceleration, as well as with the big regional developments, which may have repercussions in Lebanon”.

JUMBLATT HAS MADE ENOUGH INITIATIVES
The PSP media official noted that “Jumblatt has stressed that the new majority constituents should not accept to be held responsible for the void, and therefore for the collapse of the state as a whole”. 

Asked about the usefulness of giving up in such circumstances, Rayyes said that MP Jumblatt and the PSP in general have made enough initiatives.
“It is the turn of others to launch their initiatives,” he said, while urging the other constituents of the new majority to make initiatives as soon as possible to put an end to what he called “the absurd demands and mutual doubts here and there”.

NOTHING JUSTIFIES DELAY
The PSP media official went on to assert that “there is no excuse that could justify the current delay in the cabinet formation process”.
He explained that there were two points of view. “The first is that the United States is exerting pressures to prevent the cabinet’s birth. This should push the new majority to accelerate the process, not the opposite. The second is that Syria doesn’t want the cabinet at this stage. This is also rejected as stability in Lebanon is in Syria’s interest. In addition, the new cabinet is believed to be formed by Syria’s allies. This is another reason to accelerate the process.”

Rayyes expressed belief that “what fortifies the Resistance and its role is neither the economic and financial collapse nor the state’s collapse through spectacles such as last week’s Telecoms Ministry incident, but the formation of a government strong enough to face the various challenges”.

MIQATI FULFILLED ALL DEMANDS
Rayyes ruled out the presence of external factors preventing the cabinet’s birth.
He acknowledged that the PSP was not holding PM-Designate Najib Miqati responsible for the delay. However, he refused to say his party was “neutralizing” Miqati.
According to Rayyes, the PM-Designate fulfilled all the demands of the various political blocs. “However, whenever one crisis was resolved, new demands were produced,” he said. “What should Miqati do after all this?” he asked.

Asked about the PSP stance towards the parliamentary general session that could be held next week and whether the PSP-affiliated lawmakers would take part in it, Rayyes just said: “Let’s wait and see.”

PARALYSIS DOES NOT PROTECT PRINCIPLES
On the real reasons behind the delay in the cabinet formation, Rayyes said that such a question should be aksed to the other allies. “The PSP was not stick to its demands and was open to negotiations. We never put our own political interests before the national interest,” he said.

Rayyes stressed that the PSP was in full agreement with its allies on the national and political principles. “However, we believe that ministerial paralysis cannot protect and safeguard these principles. This is why we are calling for a government strong enough to be able to face all challenges and set Lebanon’s stance vis-a-vis the current developments,” he went on to say.

In conclusion, Rayyess addressed the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun and Hezbollah. While noting that Aoun raises the slogan of protecting the Christians’ rights, he wondered whether the rights of Christians could be fortified through the collapse of state. He also hinted that the Resistance could not be fortified by such collapse.