Bassil Backs 'Secular Syria', Says Lebanon Sects Want to Protect Privileges
Free Patriotic Movement chief and caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil announced Tuesday that “stability in Syria and the endurance of the secular/non-theological state in it are in Lebanon's interest.”
Bassil voiced his remarks during a political seminar at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he represented Lebanon in the absence of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri who canceled his participation to follow up on the renewed drive to form a new government in Lebanon.
“Our model may not be the most successful, but it has persevered in the face of the models of terrorism and unilateralism: Daesh and Israel,” Bassil said, referring to Lebanon and its confessional political system.
“We realize that managing diversity and fulfilling consensual democracy are difficult in a country consisted of 18 sects, and that it is not easy to achieve balanced partnerships between the presidencies, the parliament, the government and state administrations, but when we reach consensus, stability would prevail,” the minister added.
“It is normal for each sect to seek to preserve its jurisdiction,” Bassil went on to say.
He also noted that Christians in Lebanon “enjoy a strong political, social and economic presence within the principle of partnership and coexistence with Muslims.”
22 January 2019, 18:10
04
How much did his trip ( including his entourage ) cost an already bankrupt treasury?
22 January 2019, 18:19
03
Lebanese politicians at all levels have failed to grow the economy and have burdened the country with $85 billion in national debt. Yet, they have the audacity to go attend the World Economic Forum in Davos!!!
22 January 2019, 19:37
40
Like Bashir al Rahi says, Lebanon's regime is based on equality: the quarter of Lebanese who are Christian are equal to the three quarters who are Muslims: each gets half of Chamber of Deputies seats, per Article 24 of the Constitution, the so-called Taef Accord, where Christians sacrificed their prior 6:5 advantage in assigned seats. If you ask how anybody knows if a certain Lebanese is Christian or not, well, it's like asking an Israeli how her Jewishness is proved as a matter of law. The law is not competent in such matters.
