Suleiman to Pope: No Democracy without Christian Participation in Political Life
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
President Michel Suleiman said Saturday that democracy can't be achieved in the Middle East without the participation of Christians in political life and governance.
“Democracy cannot go straight … without the participation of the Christian element - which has been rooted in the East for more than 2,000 years - in the political life and management of public affairs no matter what the numbers are,” Suleiman said at Baabda palace.
“Coexistence is not a rigid equation,” he told Pope Benedict XVI, who visited the presidential palace on the second day of his three-day visit to Lebanon.
Suleiman said the Lebanese are aware that the pope's visit would contribute to “restoring the luster to its (Lebanon's) glare” as a nation of dialogue and agreement and an example of the dialogue among civilizations.
He said among the challenges facing Lebanon is the full implementation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 over Israel's continued violation of Lebanese sovereignty.
Other challenges include the danger of terrorism and strife and the prevention of the naturalization of Palestinians in Lebanon which contravenes the Constitution and the right of the refugees to return to their homeland.
Suleiman also cited sustainable development, the protection of the environment, and providing job opportunities as other major challenges facing the country.
15 September 2012, 18:56
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I pray for my country! I hope we learn to live in Peace with each other.
15 September 2012, 21:55
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“Coexistence is not a rigid equation, [Suleiman] told Pope Benedict XVI"...
We must assume the Pope asked Suleiman about the Taef "Accord", whereby the fifth of Lebanese who are nominally Christian receive "equal" representation in Parliament with the four fifths who are nominally not Christian. One fifth equals four fifths.
So Suleiman is admitting that there is some room for negotiation. This reminds me of the joke about the experiment to end slavery incrementally. The proposal was that the slaves should receive two hours of free time every Sunday afternoon. The guy who told me the joke used it to illustrate that national health care cannot be done incrementally: either everybody gets health care or they don't. In Lebanon, either everbody is equal under the law or they aren't.
The Cedar Revolution changed the formula from 6:5 (under the National "Pact") to 1:1. That means it only went, what, one fifth of the way to completion. No wonder Lebanon still has troubles.
