Lebanese Forces Party Chief, Samir Geagea, met at the residence of Bcharre District Union of Municipalities Head, Elie Makhlouf, in Bekaa Kafra, the Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, in the presence of MP Strida Geagea, former deputy Joseph Isaac, and Bkirki Media Officer Walid Ghayyad. The meeting was a chance to discuss the latest political developments in the country, especially the presidential elections dossier, and the latest updates regarding the investigation and judicial process of the Qornet Al-Sawda crime and the demarcation of borders in that region. The encounter came prior to the dinner banquet held Saturday evening by Union President Makhlouf in honor of Patriarch Al-Rahi following his presiding over the feast of Saint Charbel in the courtyard of ‘Mar Haushab Church’ in Bekaa Kafra, which was attended by prominent dignitaries and officials from the region. In his word on the occasion, Geagea said: ‘Today is the feast of Saint Charbel, who is our saint and the saint of many Lebanese. I would have preferred not to touch on political issues during this time and to confine my words to the spiritual side, the biography of the saint and all that he means to us…Yet, the country finds me compelled to address some political points in order for matters to be clear.’ Geagea touched on the Qornet El-Sawda regretful incident and the dispute between the two towns of Bsharre and Beqaasafrin, considering that ‘no matter how huge the differences, solutions can be found,’ and stressing on the urgent need to unveil the facts following the investigation into the crime. ‘I deeply regret what we have heard in the past days of attempts to interfere in the criminal investigations,’ Geagea said. He also pointed to the efforts in place for the past three years to demarcate the border between both towns of Bsharre and Beqaasafrin, which he hoped would be culminated and that the towns would abide by the judicial decisions, so that the reasons for the dispute would be eliminated. Geagea hailed the people of Bsharre for “the equanimity, calmness, and adherence to the law and judiciary that they demonstrated in the aftermath of the very painful incident,” considering that had the incident taken place in another time and place, it would have taken completely different dimensions. The LF Chief also touched on the issue of displaced Syrians in Lebanon, saying: “Some in Lebanon are always trying to alter matters, for no one can actually give orders to Lebanon because the decision on the issue of Syrian refugees is a sovereign decision par excellence…The whole matter is that what was issued by the European Parliament were mere recommendations that are not binding for Lebanon whatsoever, and which were completely unrealistic in the part related to the Syrian refugees and did not take into account that Lebanon has a people, a state, and a sovereign decision…Therefore, the recommendation was that the refugees must remain In Lebanon…’ Geagea added: ‘This land is our land and the decision is up to us, and the issue of accepting any individual as a refugee or not is a sovereign decision that we take, and if some countries in the European Union do not like this matter, they can take them as refugees on their lands at any time they wish…!’
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon