BEIRUT, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Druze majority leader Walid Joumblat said that the political and geographical fate of Lebanon lies in the hands of Syria, his remarks were published in an interview with local daily Nahar Al-Shabab annex Thursday.
In a significant turn around of his previous political stands, Joumblat called for opening a new page with Syria, hinting to the possibility of visiting Damascus soon.
"The Syrian army withdrew from Lebanon ending 30 years of military presence, so why do we always have to refer to the past," Joumblat said.
Syrian troops pulled out of Lebanon in June 2005 following massive demonstration which erupted after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a Beirut car bomb on Feb. 14, 2005.
Joumblat was the leading political figure who carried out the fiercest accusations against Syria, whom he also blamed for the assassination of his father Kamal Joumblat in 1976.
The majority Druze leader said he expects designated Prime Minister Saad Hariri to visit Damascus after the formation of a national unity government.
"We want normal relations with Syria, and we want Hariri to visit Syria in his capacity as Prime Minister," Joumblat said.
From 2005 until recently this year following the parliamentary elections on June 7, Joumblat had been calling for overthrowing the Syrian regime which he described as the "regime of criminals."
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