Beirut |
August 17, 2007
Sfeir Against Constitutional Amendments Unless They Are Meant to Rescue Lebanon
Beirut - August 17, 2007
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir said Friday he was against constitutional amendments unless they were for the sake of Lebanon's salvation "because the constitution is not a game."
"In principle, I object constitutional amendments … But I do not object if (amendments) will salvage the country," Sfeir said in an interview with the daily As Safir.
"I am with the law, with the constitution, with discipline. What is going to happen? I don't know. If the army commander can rescue the country, then he is welcome," Sfeir said.
Sfeir totally rejected a proposal that called for electing a new president for a two-year term.
"I'm against a president for a two-year (limit) because such a president may not accept the term and will do what he has to do to extend (his term)," Sfeir feared.
Sfeir perceived no wrongdoing in the formation of a secular state, but pointed out that the problem was that the "other" sects are more attached to their confessions than they are to their country. "This is shameful."
"In other countries, they resolved the problem by declaring a secular state. Can we do the same here, in the sense that all citizens are equal before the law?" asked Sfeir.
Responding to a question that claimed Lebanon had been created for the sake of Maronites, Sfeir said: "…Of course, they (Maronites) were the first to arrive here, among others … then a lot of confessions arrived, for which each has its own structure and we have to respect one another."
"But if we want to form a secular state, everything has to be changed," Sfeir asserted, wondering whether the religious sects would accept that.
"There are sects that would not agree," he concluded.
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir said Friday he was against constitutional amendments unless they were for the sake of Lebanon's salvation "because the constitution is not a game."
"In principle, I object constitutional amendments … But I do not object if (amendments) will salvage the country," Sfeir said in an interview with the daily As Safir.
"I am with the law, with the constitution, with discipline. What is going to happen? I don't know. If the army commander can rescue the country, then he is welcome," Sfeir said.
Sfeir totally rejected a proposal that called for electing a new president for a two-year term.
"I'm against a president for a two-year (limit) because such a president may not accept the term and will do what he has to do to extend (his term)," Sfeir feared.
Sfeir perceived no wrongdoing in the formation of a secular state, but pointed out that the problem was that the "other" sects are more attached to their confessions than they are to their country. "This is shameful."
"In other countries, they resolved the problem by declaring a secular state. Can we do the same here, in the sense that all citizens are equal before the law?" asked Sfeir.
Responding to a question that claimed Lebanon had been created for the sake of Maronites, Sfeir said: "…Of course, they (Maronites) were the first to arrive here, among others … then a lot of confessions arrived, for which each has its own structure and we have to respect one another."
"But if we want to form a secular state, everything has to be changed," Sfeir asserted, wondering whether the religious sects would accept that.
"There are sects that would not agree," he concluded.
