Patriarch Rahi: Violence, War Won’t Attain Reforms in Syria

BEIRUT, (ST)- Cardinal Mar Beshara Boutros Rahi, Patriarch of Antioch and All East for Maronites has stressed that violence and war won’t lead to reforms in Syria, regretting some countries’ keen efforts to send arms and money to terrorists and to incite war against Syria.

In  a statement to the Voice of Russia Radio, Rahi called for the immediate halting of violence in Syria and the launching of dialogue between the Syrian  government and the “opposition” in order to attain peace and avoid more victims among innocent people.

“No one can live in peace under violence and war, so, for the good of all the Syrian, we urge maintaining the citizens’ right to live in peace.” Rahi said.

He added that countries from the West and the East are supporting extremists in Syria and provides them with weapons and money.

“Do they want to destroy the Arab world?, “asked the Maronite Patriarch.

He urged the countries which back terrorism and fundamentalism in Syria to give information about the destiny of the two Aleppo metropolitans kidnapped months ago, instead of sending weapons to the Syrian armed “opposition” .

Patriarch Rahi thanked the Russian Orthodox Church for its firm stance on the Syrian issue and for its rejection of the ongoing destructive war against Syria.

H. Mustafa