Mikati: Rai will not go back on his remarks

PM Najib Mikati depicted the latest stances taken by Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai as wise, adding that Rai will not go back on his remarks.

“The patriarch clarified his comments as soon as he arrived to [Beirut] airport”, Mikati said. Mikati stressed that during his visit to the Diman, he and Rai discussed both thorny and less contentious issues, describing the meeting as “excellent”.   

Mikati held a closed meeting with Rai, after which they were joined by a number of archbishops, bishops and other political figures.

A statement issued by the Diman clarified that Mikati, during his meeting with the head of the Maronite Church, highlighted the importance of the key role played by Christians in Lebanon and the Arab world, calling for people not to judge others by their confession.

Mikati noted that holding onto stereotypes of extremism can be very damaging, especially when considering the key role that Sunnis played in establishing independence in Lebanon and represent the majority of Arabs in the Middle East.