Hariri Meets Sistani in Najaf, Stresses on Intra-Muslim-Arab Unity
MP Saad Hariri on Thursday held a rather historic meeting with the highest Shiite Authority Ayatollah Ali Sistani in south Iraq”s holy city of Najaf in an apparent effort to tighten pan-Arab links and avert intra-Muslim sedition.
"I met the religious authorities at Najaf and the political authorities in Baghdad and discussed the general situation in the Islamic world," Hariri told reporters.
"We should unite our pan-Arab belonging and emphasize on the facts that Lebanon is an Arab country and Iraq is an Arab country and there are no differences between Sunnis and Shiites," he said.
"Our countries should not be arenas for sedition," Hariri said.
He expressed hope that Lebanon and Syria would be able to establish diplomatic ties because "this is how relations between states should be."
He rejected attempts by "a state to impose its interests on top of the Iraqi people”s interests." He did not identify such a state.
In answering a question, Hariri denied reports about launching an alleged mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
"I am here to say I am Lebanese-Arab-Muslim and I want unity of the Arabs and I would provide whatever I can provide for unity of the Arabs … Iraq and Lebanon need the Arabs," he said.
"We want the Muslims to speak with one voice and we want the Arabs to speak with one voice. We want to get rid of this state of disarray that serves only the selfishness of some states," Hariri added.
Lebanese and Arab firms intend to invest in reconstructing Iraq, he announced.
Hariri also held separate talks with Shiite religious authority Mohammed Hussein al-Hakim and deputy leader of the Higher Iraqi Islamic Council Ammar al-Hakim.
Earlier in the day, Hariri met Iraqi President Jalal Talabani who welcomed the Lebanese MP as "a dear friend of Iraq."
Hariri also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki whose office said he and the MP discussed Lebanon”s new government.