New Delhi, June 12: Regretting that the Arab world had no leader left to understand the importance of India's role in the Middle East, a top Lebanese leader has favoured engaging New Delhi so as "not to lose" it as a "power in the third world" as a moderate actor. Walid Jumblatt, prominent socialist leader of Lebanon, also termed as a "fishy story" the allegations that Osama bin Laden was working against the Americans, pointing out that he was brought by the CIA to fight the soviets in Afghanistan.

Worried that "we got a lot of dangers as Arabs", Jumblatt, in an interview to Sayeed Naqvi for his 'Worldview India' programme, said "I wish we could again engage as Arabs and move into some dialogue with India so as not to lose India as a moderate actor, power in the third world."
Asked why he felt Arabs had lost India, Jumblatt replied, "Because we don't have leaders in the Arab world. We lost Habzul Asad, we lost Gamal Abdul Nasser. They used to be credible big leaders."

"We should do something with Indians but we don't have a leader able to understand the importance of the role of India in the Middle East," he said adding, "If we can play any role to defuse the tension between India and Pakistan because it reflects on Arab-India relationship ... Kashmir issue."
Bureau Report