Hizbullah- Bkirki Dialogue: Promoting Co-existence, Fortifying Internal Front

By Hilal Salman

As the wheel of the dialogue between Hizbullah and Bkirki kicked off from the widest doors, the quartet committee held its meeting in the patriarchal Palace under the patronage of Patriarch Mar Gospel al-Rai.

The meeting was attended by the committee comprised of Bkirki representatives Bishop Samir Mazloum and Hareth Shehab, Hizbullah envoys Ghaleb Abu Zainab and Mustafa al-Hajj Ali as well as Bkirki's press office director Walid Ghayyad.

Launching the dialogue came as a culmination of the new phase in the relationship between the two sides after the arrival of the Patriarch al-Rai and the clear national positions he announced regarding national issues.

In the forefront of al-Rai's positions were those related to resistance and rejection of the occupation which set a suitable ground for a dialogue that has been missing over the past years in the relation with the former Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir.

According to member of Hizbullah's Political Council Ghaleb Abu Zeinab "the first session of dialogue, which was sponsored by the Patriarch al-Rai set the main points of dialogue in addition to the adopted mechanism."

In an interview with "al-Intiqad" website, he described the meeting as "comfortable as it set the broad topics to be discussed."

Reflecting that "points of discussion do not address the political topic directly, but rather the major national," Abu Zeinab noted that "therefore we can say that the dialogue had started and that its sessions are to be continuous and periodic."

"During a brief period, specifically during the next two weeks there will be another meeting for the Dialogue Committee, where the discussion will tackle the first point on the agenda," he added.

On the dialogue's atmosphere, the committee's member uncovers that " it is very comfortable."

"There is mutual trust and common ground," he clarified pointing out that "the subjects did not emerge from vacuum but from positive spiritual declaration that Hizbullah is to meet Patriarch's positions."

In his attempt not to keep things vague, Abu Zeinab announced that "the dialogue is based on national issues, including the promotion of co-existence, fortifying internal situation in front of what the stormy regional atmosphere and sophistication."

Commenting on some circles' leaks that the results of the dialogue could lead to the meeting between the Secretary General of Hizbullah His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and the Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai, he concluded by saying "the subject is still too early to talk about."

The launch of the dialogue between Hizbullah and Bkirki is to be followed by communication between the party and other Christian top Heads.

In this context, Hizbullah Political Council member Ghaleb Abu Zeinab accompanied by former MP Amin Shri visited Bishop Elias Audi.

Source: al-Intiqad, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org