Patriarch Lahham :victory in Syria is to achieve peace

LONDON ,(ST) _Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for the Greek  Melkite  Church Gregory III Laham  stressed that  victory in Syria is to achieve peace and push for convening its  International Conference in Geneva.

Beginning his visit to London, Lahham said , ” I’m here to tell the world that no one wins the war. Peace is the victory and  Syria is triumphed  only by  peace , therefore we should all go to Geneva, including the church and everyone who works for the convening of the Geneva Conference should  think of the church role.”

The Patriarch indicated that the two  patriarchs  John Ibrahim Metropolitan of Aleppo for the Syrian Orthodox  church and Paul Yazigi ,Metropolitan of Aleppo and Iskenderun and its Surroundings for the Greek  Orthodox,  kidnapped by terrorist groups in Aleppo countryside, were supposed to be released  but that did not happen.

On the other hand , and in an interview with the BBC , Patriarch Lahham called on  the international community to stop sending arms and prevent the flow of foreign militants into Syria.

“The use of force and violence can not change the current situation on the ground in Syria, therefore , we should embark on  dialogue , a political solution and bringing the parties together,” Patriarch Lahham said, adding that  “Arab Christians can play a role in the change of the scenery and in convergence and unification among all  for a better life for all Syrians.” 

T. Fateh