Now Lebanon - Jumblatt surprised by “vicious campaign” against Hariri - September 13, 2010

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt said during his weekly interview with Al-Anbaa newspaper to be published on Tuesday that he is surprised by the “vicious campaign” against Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

This comes after former head of Lebanon’s General Security Jamil as-Sayyed said during a press conference on Sunday that “[Saad Hariri] should take a lie detector test to prove he did not support or fund false witnesses in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.” He added that the prime minister should “admit that he sold his father’s blood for four years in order to implement a new Middle East project,” a reference to US policy in the region.

Jumblatt commented on reports on his meeting with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, saying they are “inaccurate and false.”

Al-Hayat newspaper quoted on Sunday an unnamed source as saying that Jumblatt told Kouchner during their meeting last week that “justice and the truth are important, but the stability of the country is more important.” According to the daily’s source, Jumblatt said that “France will bear the responsibility for civil war if it happens.”