On 13 April 1975 Phalangist gunmen ambushed a busload of Palestinians in Beirut. The incident marked the beginning of a bloody civil war which lasted 15 long years and claimed the lives of 150,000. Since 1990, the Lebanese have been trying to simultaneously come to terms with the legacy of war and to forget. Ironically it was Rafiq Al-Hariri -- whose assassination last February threatened to revive the ghosts of the past -- who had planned to mark the occasion with a series of festivities celebrating Lebanese national unity. This week, Al-Hariri's sister, Bahia, inaugurated the celebrations which her brother had planned. But will Lebanon truly heed the lessons of the war? Serene Assir, in Beirut, seeks answers from some of Lebanon's most prominent past and present players on the political arena Walid Jumblatt is the son of Kamal Jumblatt, the charismatic leader of the Lebanese Progressive Movement; he is now spearheading the call for Syria's pullout from Lebanon. This interview was conducted in Arabic at the Jumblatts' ancestral home in Mukhtara, Chouf on 9 April 2005. How far will the opposition go? The aim of the opposition is to ensure that elections are held. It also seeks entry into parliament, and into all the avenues of power -- the whole lot. Will the elections definitely be held within the next month? No, that remains uncertain. We asked for the elections to be held next month, but pro-government forces have stopped that. Is such a decision solely in their hands? No, this is the political game we're playing -- I didn't say anything was up to them. So tell me about the negotiations that are currently underway. We are holding negotiations with the current government to have the elections on the scheduled date, but we still have no answer. Despite rhetoric claiming that never have the Lebanese been so united, the political atmosphere, especially as far as sectarian fragmentation is concerned, is very volatile. Do you think this atmosphere will improve after the elections? Once elections are held, we will have to return to the political line formulated by Rafiq Al-Hariri. Aside from issues of sectarianism, there are many outstanding issues that must be resolved first, including the question of the shape of the new government How do you see the nature of Lebanon's relations with Syria following the latter's withdrawal? They will be built in accordance with what the Taif Accords clearly stipulate: A special Lebanese-Syrian relation, and special security cooperation on an equal, bilateral level. What cannot be accepted is that Lebanon should act as a base for any movement or branch whose aim is Syrian security. So, you will continue to work from the premise set out by the Taif Accords. The Taif Accords are essential. They are the basis for stability in Lebanese-Syrian ties, and the basis for intra-Lebanese security. What about Lebanese security vis-�-vis the southern border with Israel? It's absolutely essential that the armed struggle continues, and that our option concerning armed struggle remains open. Do you believe that Hezbollah should hand in its weapons? I do not back that pressure. Hezbollah says that their weapons are at the service of the state. They act in the interest of Lebanon and the protection of its people. Why should they give up their weapons? But there are elements within the anti-government alliance calling for disarming Hezbollah. I speak only for myself. What do you say about the way in which different elements of the opposition have behaved at different times vis-�-vis Syria? The fact of the matter is that Syria is gone, it has unilaterally decided to withdraw. So now it's up to us to follow a new path. I have one final question -- who killed Rafiq Al-Hariri? An international commission is currently investigating that question. They decide? Yes.
