Vatican No. 2 calls for election of president in Lebanon

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, stressed on Saturday "the importance for Lebanon of electing a new president of the republic" and expressed hope that the "Christian component will play an active role in this."

At the Literary Prize award ceremony for ambassadors accredited to the Holy See, the Vatican No. 2 stressed the need to pursue diplomatic activity to achieve peace. He recalled that "the responsibility lies with all of us."

On his return from a visit to Lebanon, Archbishop Parolin said that the first solution to the situation in Lebanon lies in "the election of a president of the republic to put an end to the institutional crisis that is damaging the whole country."

"The solution will not be magic, but Lebanon cannot face problems with vacant posts," he added.

The Vatican official also remarked "the active role of Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai in his commitment to uniting Christians" in the context of electing a new president.

"There seems to be a desire on the part of the Christian parties to unite their efforts and propose one or more candidates on whom there is consensus," Parolin noted, adding, in response to a question about Hezbollah, that "the solution lies in a candidate who has the approval of all the Lebanese parties."