Hariri Meets Rai: Maintaining Consensus in Lebanon is Essential
Prime Minister Saad Hariri held talks Friday evening with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai at the Maronite Pontifical Institute in Rome, Hariri's media office said.
The meeting was attended by Hariri’s chief of staff Nader Hariri and his adviser Daoud Sayegh.
After the meeting, Hariri told journalists that discussions touched on “matters that concern Lebanon's unity and stability. We also discussed the issue of the displaced Syrians, and the Lebanese government will prepare a document on this issue. For me, maintaining consensus in Lebanon and the stability of the country is essential.”
Hariri added: “The issue of the displaced must first address Lebanon's supreme interest and must be dealt with in such a way that Lebanon is not affected externally, within the international community, or even on the humane level. The displaced are our brothers and we should preserve their security and stability. They left Syria because they were threatened there. We have to preserve Lebanon's supreme interest, the economy and security in our country, and the employment opportunities for the Lebanese.”
He continued: “We can address this issue. The previous policies, because of political divisions, were not able to find solutions, but today there is a Lebanese consensus to address this issue, and God willing we will”.
To a question that the controversial displaced issue could blow up the internal situation and perhaps lead to the resignation of the government, the PM replied: “On the contrary, I believe that there is a great consensus in the government on this issue, and there are some details that we must agree on. Do not be afraid, this government will not explode because we are all working for the benefit of Lebanon.”
“The political differences were taking place because everyone was entrenched behind his political positions. We are still entrenched behind these political positions, but the difference is that there is a Lebanese situation and the stability of Lebanon has nothing to do with what is happening around us. So we have to work for Lebanon’s interest”.
Hariri added that there is “joint paper between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of the Interior on the matter. It is the basic paper that the previous government worked on.”
For me, maintaining this consensus in Lebanon and the stability of the
Source: Naharnet
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