Maronite Bishops Appeal for 'Strong' President Capable of Protecting 'Sovereignty'

The Council of Maronite Bishops urged the parliament on Wednesday to choose a “strong and capable” president who would seek to protect Lebanon's sovereignty.

The council issued a statement following its monthly meeting chaired by Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki, saying “political parties and mainly MPs should carry out their duties and choose a strong and capable president” before the Constitutional deadline expires.

The new head of state should be able to “confront challenges, and build the state's institutions, its unity and sovereignty,” it said.

The deadline, which started on March 25, compels all parties to deal with the presidential elections based on the Constitution and the rotation of power, the bishops said.

They called for unity between the ministers of Prime Minister Tammam Salam's 24-member government, saying they should take “responsible decisions.”

The statement strongly condemned the attempt to kidnap Bishop Semaan Atallah in the eastern Bekaa Valley last month, urging the government and the armed forces to take necessary measures to end the kidnapping phenomenon and bring the perpetrators to justice.

It welcomed the release of the Maalula nuns, hoping for more efforts to set free bishops kidnapped in Syria and Lebanese who have been jailed in the neighboring country since the end of Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war.

The nuns, who were kidnapped by armed rebels from the Syrian town of Maalula in December, were released last month.

The Maronite bishops also welcomed a security plan implemented in the northern city Tripoli, hoping it would be enforced in other hotspots as well.

G.K.

M.T.