Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai stressed on Tuesday that “there is no salvation for Lebanon without a return to the culture of positive and active neutrality.”
“Neutrality is not a political position, but an economic position that supports stability, productive flexibility and ensures the rebirth of the neutral state,” he said in his message to the Lebanese on Christmas Eve.
In this context, Archbishop Rai stressed that “the commitment to neutrality creates a legacy of stability, reinforcing confidence in Lebanon as a safe state for capital and enabling it to reap economic benefits.”
He believes that, in this way, “the country will be able to play its effective role, with a single army, a single policy, preserving its sovereignty without interfering in the affairs of other countries.”
Regarding the upcoming presidential election, the Patriarch expressed “confidence and optimism” in the parliamentary session scheduled for January 9, calling for “an end to the presidential vacancy which violates the Constitution and harms the country's interests.” He stressed that the election of the president must take place “without waiting for names (of candidates) from abroad.”
“Lebanon needs internal confidence and an independent national decision to take a new step towards stability and prosperity,” he concluded.
Comments