Lebanon Seeks Intervention From The Vatican
Ankit Gupta - All Headline News Staff Writer Vatican City, Rome (AHN) - Lebanon turned to the Vatican for help in pressing for a cease-fire in the Middle East, dispatching the son of assassinated premier Rafik Hariri to meet with the Holy See's secretary of state, reported Asia News. Vatican officials said Cardinal Angelo Sodano met Saad Hariri, leader of the anti-Syrian majority in Lebanon's parliament whose father's assassination last year led to massive protests that drove Syria out of Lebanon. Hariri was scheduled to meet Italian Premier Romano Prodi and Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema. Italy has been playing the role of what Prodi calls a "facilitator" in efforts to defuse the crisis. Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora had telephoned Sodano to seek the Vatican's help in pressing for a cease-fire. Pope Benedict XVI, during an appearance to pilgrims during his vacation in the Italian Alps, lamented civilian deaths in the conflict and appealed to leaders to "return to the path of reason" and open dialog. Sodano said the Holy See condemned both terrorist attacks on one side of the conflict and the military retaliation of Israel against targets in Lebanon. Lebanon has a large Maronite Catholic population.
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