Mazloum Says Dialogue among Maronites Reached Dead End

Bishop Samir Mazloum denied on Wednesday reports saying that a meeting will be held for the Maronite leaders at Bkirki to discuss the presidential deadlock, revealing that dialogue between Maronites reached a dead end.

“Nothing has so far changed concerning the presidential race nor the Christian situation,” Mazloum told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

He stressed that the Maronite leaders failed to reach a breakthrough in order to elect a new head of state.

Mazloum told the daily that contacts between the Maronite committee and Bkirki are cut, which indicates that dialogue between Maronites is not progressing, which thwarts the elections.

The committee, which was formed in February 2014 by the Maronite patriarchate based in Bkirki, was tasked with discussing the presidential elections.

The country plunged into a political vacuum as President Michel Suleiman's term ended on May 25 and the rival political forces have so far failed to elect a successor despite having held more than a dozen electoral sessions.

The presidency crisis is threatening further vacuum at Lebanese institutions, including the parliament and the cabinet.

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