Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari held last evening a dinner banquet at his Yarze residence in honor of Grand Mufti Sheikh Abullatif Derian, in the presence of the majority of the Sunni MPs.
"Mufti Derian thanked Ambassador Bukhari for the ceremony, and stressed that any gathering that brings the Lebanese closer together is well welcomed," a statement by Dar-al-Fatwa indicated.
It added that the Mufti also underlined that "the Muslim Sunnis in Lebanon are a key component of the national decision-making," stressing that "they must be unified over the Lebanese constants that guarantee the rights of everyone without exception."
"He called for abiding by and holding on to the Taif Agreement," the statement said. "Any other stance is rejected and condemned, and it complicates the solutions that can only be reached through the Taif Agreement," the statement quoted Derian as saying.
Moreover, the Mufti warned against attempts to convince people that the decision to elect a new president of the republic is up to one category of the Lebanese.
For his part, Bukhari reiterated Saudi Arabia's unwavering support for the Lebanese state and institutions, and its keenness on the Lebanese people.
He added that Saudi Arabia "is exerting permanent and continuous efforts in the quintet committee and it is presenting the ideas and proposals that contribute to saving Lebanon." "The Kingdom does not have ant initiative to support any name for presidency and it does not interfere in any name. It stands at an equal distance from everybody," he stressed. "This choice is that of the MPs; the Kingdom only suggests criteria and qualifications," he said, adding that it hopes that a new president is elected as soon as possible.
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