Bishop Samir Mazloum ruled out a breakthrough in the crisis over the presidential elections due to the “wide gap” between the concerned officials and “their ties to regional and international powers,” reported the Kuwaiti daily al-Seyassah on Sunday.
He told the daily: “The Maronite Patriarchate in Bkirki currently sees no point in bringing together the Maronite leaders in order to reach a positive outcome on the presidency given their foreign commitments.”
“This means that their decisions are not in their own hands and we should therefore await an easing in regional and international tensions” in order to reach a breakthrough in Lebanon, he remarked.
Furthermore, meetings that Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi held with the Maronite leaders demonstrated that they are still committed to their old positions on the presidential polls, added Mazloum.
These talks were “necessary and helpful,” he added, while saying that they were aimed at persuading the powers to hold the elections soon.
The polls have not been staged even though the officials expressed a willingness to hold them, continued the bishop.
Bkirki is reportedly witnessing intensive visits by Maronite leaders to resolve the presidential deadlock and salvage the Christians' most prominent post, regaining its political role, media reports said earlier in December.
Al-Rahi is keen to launch dialogue between Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea after ties between Christians deteriorated and hit bottom rock.
The presidential post has been empty since May 25 when former President Michel Suleiman's term ended.
Regional divisions and the political stalemate in the country's parliament have left lawmakers unable to agree on a successor.
M.T.
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