Forces of Change Najat Aoun Saliba, Melhem Khalaf and Paula Yacoubian meet Maronite Bishop of Antelias Antoine Bou Najm on Feb. 27, in Parliament. (Credit: Ali Fawwaz / Lebanese Parliament)
Delegated by Patriarch Bechara Rai to help initiate inter-Christian dialogue around the presidential elections, the Maronite Bishop of Antelias Antoine Bou Najm met on Monday with three Forces of Change MPs: Najat Aoun Saliba, Melhem Khalaf and Paula Yacoubian.
Najm also met with the Secretary General of the Parliament, Adnan Daher.
MPs Saliba and Khalaf have observed a sit-in at Parliament for nearly six weeks in demand of an open session for the election of a new head of state. The Baabda Palace has been vacant since the end of Michel Aoun's term on Oct. 31.
The heads of Lebanon's churches asked Patriarch Rai in early February to bring together the deeply divided Christian MPs, who have not been able to agree on a common presidential candidate.
Najm has been visiting various Christian party leaders to establish a basis for dialogue.
He has already met with Lebanese Forces head Samir Geagea and Free Patriotic Movement's Gebran Bassil, who was among the first that urged Bkirki to sponsor Christian dialogue.
Najm also met with independent MP Michel Moawad and Neemat Frem, whose names have been circulating among those of potential presidential candidates.
The Bishop also met with the Secretary General of the National Bloc and former Executive Director of L'Orient-Le Jour Michel Hélou and with Camille Chamoun, MP of the National Liberal Party.
Najm will prepare a report to be presented to the Patriarch after his consultations.
Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri has not convened a parliamentary session for the election of a president since Jan. 19.