An interview with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Prime Minister Najib Mikati spoke with Vatican Radio ahead of his private audience with Pope Benedict XVI on Monday. He commented on the Lebanese desire to preserve Lebanon as this kind of model of coexistence between peoples. “We have to keep it forever,” he said. The Lebanese Premier expressed interest in discussing with Pope Benedict the current events in the region and the role that Christians can play there.

Addressing the concern that Christians have been emigrating from the Middle East due to conflict and economic hardship, Mr. Mikati said:

All the statistics are saying that maybe the other religions, they have relatively more immigration in the communities than the Christians but this doesn’t mean it’s a healthy signal, even if it’s other than Christians. But we care to preserve and to keep the Christians. It is their land (too)…I believe myself the key issue here, the key issue, is peace in the Middle East. This is very important. We have to find a way how we can live in the peace time with Israel where …we will not be under any threat anymore, neither Christians or Muslims. For this reason, we have all together to work for peace and we have to preserve our community from further (immigration to the West).

Regarding the situation in Syria and possible repercussions in his country, the Lebanese Prime Minister said:

What is happening in Syria, definitely has a direct effect on Lebanon. For this reason, what I am trying to do myself as Prime Minister of Lebanon, is to shy away from anything going on in Syria as much as I can. I am trying really to isolate Lebanon from this issue. Our position at the Security Council was to disassociate ourselves from anything related to Syria. We are following this (line of action) in the Arab League. And I will tell you frankly yes, we will think about it. We are worried, but I am sure (of) and I am betting on the wisdom of the Lebanese to try to avoid any consequences on the Lebanese scene.

Mr. Mikati has come to Rome at a delicate time for his government. The Prime Minister has said he would resign if the Cabinet fails to approve funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the 2005 murder of the former Premier, Rafic Hariri. But several big Cabinet players vigorously oppose funding. That vote is expected November 30^th, just days after Mr. Mikati returns to Beirut from Rome.

“My objective,” Prime Minister Mikati told Vatican Radio’s Tracey McClure, “is to obtain justice and that Lebanon will not be selective in choosing the international resolution. The international resolution should be completely honoured. We have few resolutions related to Lebanon and we respect all resolutions and we have to keep respecting this. This will be to the interest and benefit of Lebanon.”

Listen to more from Tracey McClure’s interview with Prime Minister Mikati...