The Maronite bishop of Beirut, Boulos Matar, said Friday that a Christian-Muslim summit scheduled to be held in Bkirki next week is aimed at stressing the importance of swiftly electing a president and discussing the demands of anti-government demonstrators.
Matar told al-Joumhouria newspaper that the summit which will be held on Monday will focus on two main issues – the election of a head of state as soon as possible and the demands of the people.
The bishop said all spiritual leaders have been invited to the summit “particularly that the security situation and street protests require a quick solution to the crisis.”
Matar hoped that the meeting would limit tension “because we can no longer stand idle to the clashes (taking place) in downtown Beirut.”
Several anti-government demonstrations have shaken the Lebanese capital, with protesters expressing their anger at the authorities for failing to find a solution to the waste crisis, which erupted when Lebanon's main landfill in Naameh, south of Beirut, shut down last month.