Eyes Turned to Bkirki Meeting Amid Hopes for Future Deliberations Among Christian Factions

All eyes are turned to a meeting between top Christian leaders that is scheduled to be held in Bkirki on Tuesday amid hopes that the talks would expand to include more Christian officials in the future.

The meeting will be held between Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Michel Aoun, and Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh.

Sources following up the preparations made for the meeting told An Nahar daily in remarks published Monday that Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has decided that the talks would start with a prayer and end with a dinner between the officials.

The conferees will discuss major national and Christian issues, they said. But it is up to al-Rahi to decide on the details of the discussions.

He has received a lot of phone calls welcoming his initiative, a move that encourages future deliberations among Christian factions, the sources said. They added that the Vatican also welcomed the meeting.

Gemayel told An Nahar that a single meeting won’t lead to “direct results,” signaling that further consultations are required to limit the animosity between the top Christian officials.

Geagea also expressed hope that the talks would open a new page in the relations between the bickering officials. He told al-Joumhouria daily that he won’t hesitate in shaking hands with his foes Aoun and Franjieh.