Sfeir to meet with Bush, Rice and Ban Ki-moon in US tour
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir leaves Beirut on Sunday for two-month tour of the US, Europe and Africa. Lebanese daily An-Nahar quoted sources in Washington as saying that US President George W. Bush is to meet Patriarch Sfeir at the White House after the president’s Middle Eastern tour. Sfeir is also to meet with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
An-Nahar’s sources added that Bush intended on underlining his country’s support for the “strong commitment to helping Lebanon meet the challenges that threaten its future and disrupt its legitimacy.” The sources also said they expected Sfeir and Bush would discuss presidential elections in Lebanon, which has been without a head of state since November, and the adverse impact of the continued impasse on the future of Lebanon and the future of Lebanese Christians.
Patriarch Sfeir is scheduled to arrive to New York on May 15, after visiting South Africa with an American pastoral mission, where the Maronite leader is to meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. Sfeir will meet with Lebanese Ambassador to the US Antoine Shadid and Lebanon”s Ambassador to the United Nations Nawaf Salam.
As Sfeir’s New York visit coincides with his 88th birthday, alumni of the Lebanese Universite Saint Joseph (USJ) on the US east coast are planning a birthday bash, celebrating Sfeir as one of the greatest USJ graduates.
Sfeir leaves the United States on May 23 for Madrid, where he is scheduled to meet with Spanish King Juan Carlos.