SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 28 March 2024, Thursday |

Raii: ” I will work seriously on gathering officials for government formation.”

Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi said from the Vatican: “I think that what Pope Francis has done, His invitation and His presence stirred world public opinion, all eyes were on Lebanon yesterday, and we talked about neutrality and the international conference.”

Al-Rahi explicited that the meeting’s aim was for the Pope to listen to details, and he did not interfere in it. In the end, he said his word and “The Vatican does not work randomly,” he thinks and works in his diplomatic way, I think that what happened stirred the consciences of the world and the Lebanese, and it did not end here, but there should be other meetings.

He added: “Nothing prevents the Pope from inviting Muslim politicians and spiritual leaders, and this might happen, for I saw in him his resilience to carry the Lebanese cause till the end.”

Raii added “After the Vatican meeting, I will work seriously on gathering the officials in order to form a government, this is a duty of conscience, and I hope to get a response.”

And he added, “I do not know whether the presence of Hezbollah is deterring the international support for Lebanon. The international community says that it is not satisfied with the officials and their performance, and everyone is violating the constitution, including the President of the Republic, starting with the way the government is formed, all the way to how work is handled.”

Al-Rahi pointed out that “we stand by the President of the Republic and his powers in accordance to the constitution, and I always demand abiding by the constitution, there is a constitutional mechanism for the president’s resignation. It is acceptable to say, “Down with the president,” and I do not demand his overthrow, as the responsibility does not fall on him alone, but on everyone else.”