Thursday, March 01, 2007

Lebanese Leader Walid Jumblatt Visits Washington, DC & Meets with US President George W. Bush & Top US Officials

"I am here (in Washington) to seek US help to combat the totalitarian regimes of Syria and Iran which seek to dominate my country through their Hezbollah agents."

WASHINGTON, DC - Walid Jumblatt, a staunch anti-Syrian lawmaker, is leading a Lebanese delegation that includes Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh and former deputy Ghattas Khoury.

'I am here (in Washington) to seek US help to combat the totalitarian regimes of Syria and Iran which seek to dominate my country through their Hezbollah agents,' Jumblatt said in the US capital.

Jumblatt, who arrived in Washington on Sunday, has been received by US president George W Bush and held meetings with other senior US administration officials including Secretary of Defence Robert Gates. He is scheduled to meet Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday before returning home.

According to the Lebanese media, top US officials promised Jumblatt that they would work on 'strengthening the Lebanese army and security forces to secure law and order in the country.'

They added that Lebanese Defence Minister Elias al-Murr will be next to visit Washington to discuss US assistance for the army.

According to well-informed Lebanese officials, the US administration plans to invite other Lebanese leaders to visit Washington for similar talks, including anti-Syrian Christian leader, Samir Geagea, who is the head of the Christian Lebanese Forces.

Lebanon has been reeling under the worst political crisis since the 2005 assassination prime minister Rafik Hariri which was widely blamed on Syria and its Lebanese allies.(From DPA, M&C)