President Bashar Assad
Photo: Reuters
Damascus agrees to receive shunned Druze leader
President Assad agrees to meet Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, once one of his harshest critics after he apologizes for past, 'inappropriate' remarks
Syria's President Bashar Assad will meet Druze leader Walid Jumblatt in Damascus after he made conciliatory remarks about the Syrian leader, Hezbollah, which had been mediating between the two, said on Monday.
Jumblatt, once one of Syria's harshest critics, said in a televised interview with al-Jazeera on Saturday that comments he made about Assad three years ago had been "inappropriate".
The Syrian-backed Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah said in a statement that its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, had informed Jumblatt that the Syrian leadership would "overlook what happened in the previous stage and would open a new page".
"Assad will receive him in Damascus during a visit at a date which will be announced in the next few days."
The statement, which described Jumblatt's overture as a "bold revision", said Nasrallah was acting as a mediator with the Syrian leadership based on a request by the Druze leader.
Jumblatt had once been a prominent figure in the U.S. and Saudi-backed "March 14" alliance and was also one of the strongest critics of Syria's ally, Hezbollah.
He later adopted a more conciliatory approach after the Shiite group and its pro-Syrian allies routed his followers in fighting in 2008 that brought Lebanon to the brink of civil war.
At a rally in 2007 marking the second anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, blamed by many Lebanese on Syria, Jumblatt described Assad as a "monkey, snake and a butcher".
Jumblatt said on Saturday these remarks came at a moment of anger and expressed hope that a new page could be turned in his relations with Syria.
Lebanese-Syrian ties hit rock bottom after "March 14", led by Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, accused Syria of assassinating his father in Feb. 2005. They also blamed Damascus for several later killings of Lebanese foes of Syrian influence.
Syria denies the allegations but Hariri's killing sparked a worldwide outcry that forced an end to Damascus' 29-year military presence in Lebanon. A special court set up in The Hague has yet to indict anyone for Hariri's killing.
Rapprochement between Syria and Saudi Arabia last year has also eased tension and allowed Hariri, who won a parliamentary election in June, to form a unity government that included Hezbollah and other pro-Syrian allies.
