Patriarch Laham's Easter appeal: Stop sending arms, terrorists to Syria
(Vatican Radio/Sana) Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has visited the ancient Christian
town of Maaloula, which was recaptured from rebels last week. Assad's Easter visit
to Maaloula highlighted growing government confidence in recent gains against insurgents
around the capital and along the Lebanese border.
In his Easter message, the
Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All East Gregory III Laham Patriarch Laham
called upon the Arab and Western world to leave Syria for the Syrians and stop sending
mercenaries, terrorists and weapons to it.
SANA agency reports the Patriarch
said that “the time has come for everyone to realize that there is no winner in wars
and that peace is the only solution”. He highlighted that the Syrians are the only
side to determine their destiny and to select their president, government and constitution.
Patriarch Laham said that any Geneva2 or Geneva3 conferences must start in
Syria because only the Syrians have the ability to restore security and stability
to their country. He warned against the social threats brought on by the war on Syria
as a result of extremist mentality, calling for establishing a Syrian cultural forum
to confront these threats.
Assad's forces and rebels trying to overthrow him
are locked in a civil war in which more than 150,000 people have been killed. Millions
more have been driven from their homes during the 3-year-old conflict.