Al-Rahi Hopes National Dialogue will be ‘Fruitful’

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi hoped in his Sunday sermon for the national dialogue that President Michel Suleiman has called for to be “fruitful.”

Suleiman has invited political leaders from across the political spectrum to attend the dialogue session at Baabda palace on Monday.

While the Hizbullah-led March 8 majority welcomed the all-party talks from day one, most of the members of the March 14 opposition, with the exception of the Lebanese Forces, said on Saturday that they will attend.

But March 14 renewed its call for the replacement of Premier Najib Miqati’s cabinet and called for addressing the question of weapons owned by parties other than the state.

Al-Rahi called for renewed commitment to the national pact to end the country’s deadly differences.

That pact should prevent the Lebanese from being followers of other states and stick to neutrality based on justice and peace, he said.

The patriarch also rejected a single religion or a scientific system that denies the existence of God. He said there should be a democratic system that separates religion from the state.

Belonging should be to the state and not to the religion or political party, al-Rahi reiterated.