Head of Lebanon’s General Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, visited on Wednesday Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai in Diman, to discuss the patriarch’s calls for dissociating the country from regional conflicts.
In remarks following a meeting of the Supreme Council of Defense in Baabda on Tuesday, Ibrahim announced that he would visit the patriarch on Wednesday at his summer residence in Diman (northern Lebanon).
Well-informed sources denied information saying that Ibrahim would present an initiative from the Shiite duo – Amal Movement and Hezbollah - regarding Lebanon’s neutrality.
“This visit has been scheduled days ago, before Rai raised the issue of neutrality,” the sources said, pointing out that the meetings between Ibrahim and the Maronite patriarch were periodical and constantly maintained.
Meanwhile, political sources denied claims that Hezbollah has asked Ibrahim to mediate with Rai.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, they said: “The party will not assign anyone to take an initiative as long as the issue is not raised by any [Hezbollah] official, including its deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem.”
The Patriarch launched in early July a call to announce Lebanon’s neutrality and distance the country from regional and international conflicts.
The call, widely supported by several political parties, was met with silence from Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.
In the Sunday Mass sermon, Rai said the first and main target from a neutral system was to strengthen unity, safeguard Lebanon’s “entity, sovereignty, and independence” and enhance “national partnership, stability and good governance.”
He added that neutrality would help in preserving Lebanon’s sovereignty, distancing it from foreign conflicts and achieving stability and economic growth, which would allow for Lebanon’s return to its historical role as a bridge linking the East and West.
