Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, received today former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and former Minister Khaled Qabbani who visited him at his residence this morning.
On emerging, Siniora said that the visit was to check on His Eminence’s wellbeing following his hospital stay. He also expressed sincere condolences to the brotherly Syrian people and the friendly Turkish people in wake of the devastating earthquakes that hit both countries, which resulted in this large number of innocent victims, wishing the wounded a speedy recovery.
“I hope that all Arab countries and peoples, as well as friendly countries in the world, will rush to the rescue of the Syrian and Turkish people by providing urgent technical and relief aid that can help those concerned in the two countries to save those who can still be rescued…This matter requires specialized assistance in order to remove the huge debris and rubble under which many are still stuck…We hope – God willing – that this assistance will take place as soon as possible, and this is the least that can be done in order to enable these two affected countries to deal with the major problems that will result from this catastrophe,” Siniora added.
On a different note and marking the approaching commemoration of the assassination of PM Rafic Hariri, Siniora said: “We are a few days away from the eighteenth anniversary of the martyrdom of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, we ask God Almighty to rest his soul in eternal heaven…We realize that after these eighteen years since the absence of the martyr prime minister, he is still strongly present in the hearts of many Lebanese and Arabs. We realize the huge loss we have incurred since his absence, for he was as great as his country and remarkable for what he did for the sake of Lebanon, and for the sake of restoring the state and its full authority over all Lebanese lands so that Lebanon would advance to the ranks of developed countries….”
He added: “Today, the Lebanese are aware of what Prime Minister Hariri has done for the sake of rebuilding Lebanon and improving the standard of living of its people, and for their country to be at the level of the Lebanese aspirations instead of what has become of it today in terms of national, political and livelihood collapse….We are aware of the huge cost of this resounding absence of Prime Minister Hariri, caused by those who committed this heinous crime that led to his assassination, and they are the ones who brought Lebanon – one way or another – to these collapses from which the Lebanese are now suffering.”
Referring to the deteriorating situation in the country, Siniora underlined that “there is no way to get out of the crisis if a real and firm position is not formed, to address the essence of the problems plaguing Lebanon….and there is no possibility to address these problems without taking the path of real reform.”
He stressed that “Lebanon cannot be extricated from its current impasses and collapses without the state regaining its presence and full authority over Lebanese territory, and without restoring respect for the constitution and the proper and complete implementation of the Taif Agreement and restoring the full independence of the judiciary.”
Siniora reiterated that the economic and daily-living deterioration that the Lebanese are suffering from, in fact, reflects the lack of real and effective visionary leadership in the country. “This brings us back to reaffirming the priorities regarding what should be done immediately, namely the election of a new president for Lebanon,” he said, cautioning that “every delay in this regard means more pains and suffering that the Lebanese will bear and endure in their standard of living.”
Source: National News Agency