Report: FPM-LF Dialogue to Improve after Vatican Backing

The dialogue between the Free Patriotic Movement and Lebanese Forces could witness positive developments after the Vatican announced its backing for the upcoming meeting between the two parties' leaders.

Al-Mustaqbal daily quoted sources as saying on Wednesday that the Vatican's ambassador to Lebanon, Bishop Gabriel Caccia, has warned against attempts to paralyze the negotiations between the FPM and LF.

The talks between the officials of the two parties are expected to culminate in a meeting between FPM chief MP Michel Aoun and LF leader Samir Geagea.

Both of them are presidential candidates. Their rivalry and other factors have left Baabda Palace vacant sine President Michel Suleiman's term ended in May last year.

Al-Joumhouria daily quoted Vatican officials as saying that the “Christians of the Orient are a priority, particularly at the current stage, which is witnessing attempts to uproot them.”

The officials, who were not identified, said that the Vatican is in continuous contact with decision-making countries to “guarantee the necessary protection of the remaining Christians” in the region.

The sources also backed Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi's efforts to pressure officials into electing a new president to appease the fears of the Christians.

They said finding a successor to Suleiman would give back Christians their role of partnership in the nation and would bring the rival Christian parties closer.

Under the National Pact of 1943, the president should be a Maronite Christian, the speaker a Muslim Shiite and the prime minister a Muslim Sunni.

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