Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abdel Latif Darian, on Tuesday welcomed at Dar al-Fatwa Caretaker Minister of Information, Ziad Makary, who called on all political parties to ’embrace Frangieh’s outstretched hand and cooperate in order to salvage Lebanon out of the current crisis.’ Whether Frangieh has secured external support, Makary said: ‘We cannot confirm this, but all the available information signify that he [Frangieh] enjoys an advanced external status.’ ‘The Lebanese believe that elections should be a strictly internal matter, yet they have failed to stick to this belief; thus, we must push the outside towards helping Lebanon elect a president,’ Makary added. ‘Of course, in my capacity as a minister and representative of Sleiman Frangieh, I welcome him as President of Lebanon, and I see in him the basic characteristics for resolving problems and obtaining international and regional support for Lebanon,’ Makary concluded.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon