Sfeir: This new chance for Lebanon should not be missed
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir said that the Doha Agreement is the best possible agreement, not a final one. “It must be improved through other agreements in order to be made perfect,” he said.
Sfeir noted the need to implement the Doha Agreement, “for many former agreements were not implemented.”
“It is a chance for a new Lebanon, and must not be missed,” Sfeir told Al-Hurra.
“The Americans might have wished to see a better agreement and better means. But if we compare the state of chaos that was prevailing to this agreement, the latter is better than the former,” he said.
He also denied having raised with US officials the matter of Hezbollah’s weapons.
“We haven’t raised this issue. We are looking for an agreement in this regard, and then things will be solved step by step,” Sfeir declared.
He also noted that he had demanded US support for Lebanon in order for the country to regain its previous status and enjoy peace, security, stability and a working democratic system.
“The presence of irregular armed forces in the country, as if there were two armies, is not justifiable or acceptable,” Sfeir declared. He also extended his thanks to the army’s commander, General Michel Sleiman, and noted the positive and professional role played by the army.
Sfeir noted that all the Lebanese and their friends must help restore the situation in Lebanon and must make efforts to preserve communal living.
“Lebanon, as a state, is for all sects, and we must succeed in restoring multiculturalism and consensus democracy to this land, which, though small in size, is great” Sfeir told an audience US officials at a dinner organized by Lebanon’s ambassador at the US, Antoine Shadid.
“We are content over what happened in Doha and glad that the Lebanese have decided to elect a president after a six-month vacuum in the presidency,” Sfeir said.
“We hope that the crisis we have gone through is over once and for all, and that we have learned lessons from it. I hope Lebanon is a country to all Lebanese, residents and abroad,” he added.