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CU Junblatt ZOOM OUT TO SV other representatives
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SV PAN representatives talking with Junblatt
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SV Junblatt speaks.
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Initials RH/0157 RH/YA/AH/0208



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In Beirut, representatives of the various leftist parties met on Wednesday night (31 March) at the home of their leader Kamal Junblatt, to discuss the situation in Lebanon.

The meeting took place as left-wing forces redoubled their assault on Lebanon's right-wingers, after Syrian efforts to bring about a ceasefire failed.

Mr. Junblatt rejected Syrian demands for a ceasefire and said he would order his guns silent only when President Suleiman Franjieh handed in his resignation.

Mr. Junblatt said Syria had cut off arms supplies to his forces, who were still fighting President Franjieh's right-wing followers, but he said they were not short of weapons.

He rejected United Nations initiatives on the Lebanon crisis, saying it was regrettable and wrong for Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim to have formally drawn the Security Council's attention to the fighting.

The left-wing leader said Mr. Waldheim's move had set a dangerous precedent which could not be accepted by countries "keen on independence, national sovereignty and non-interference in their affairs".

SYNOPSIS: In Beirut, representatives of various leftist groups met on Wednesday at the home of their leader, Kamal Junblatt, to discuss the situation in Lebanon. Mr. Junblatt rejected Syrian demands for a ceasefire and said he would only order his guns silent when President Suleiman Franjiech handed in his resignation.

As the left-wing leader spoke, left-wing forces redoubled their assault on Lebanon's right-wingers after Syrian efforts to bring about a ceasefire had failed. Mr. Junblatt said Syria had cut off arms supplies to his forces, who wee still fighting President Franjieh's right-wing followers, but he said they were not short of weapons.

Mr. Junblatt rejected United Nations initiatives on the Lebanon crisis, saying it was regrettable and wrong for Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim to have formally drawn the Security Council's attention to the fighting. He said Mr. Waldheim's move had set a dangerous precedent which could not be accepted by countries keen on independence, national sovereignty and non-interference in their affairs.