Lebanon´s majority leader meets with Hezbollah official

Source: Xinhua | 01-22-2009 17:08

BEIRUT, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Druze majority leader Walid Joumblat has finally met with opposition Hezbollah's lawmaker Mohammed Raad, local As-Safir daily reported Thursday.

The long awaited meeting on Wednesday night came after over three years of hostile relations between the two groups.

Hezbollah and Druze members fought a devastating battle last May in the mountain area, during a battle which sparked on May 7 in the Western side of the capital Beirut that left over 74 people killed.

The Joumblat-Raad meeting was hosted by Druze opposition leader Talal Arslan who was acting as a mediator between the two parties.

Arslan was quoted as saying that "the meeting itself is a major achievement" towards a wider reconciliation.

The meeting was aimed at ensuring peace and calm climate following the events of last May, said the report.

The ruling majority has been accusing Hezbollah of trying to restore the influence of Syria and Iran. In return, Hezbollah has been accusing the ruling majority of implementing the American-Israeli plan that seeks to defeat the resistance.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei