[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 7, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


TRIBUTE TO HIS BEATITUDE MAR NASRALLAH BOUTROS CARDINAL SFEIR, MARONITE 
                 PATRIARCH OF ANTIOCH AND ALL THE EAST

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 7, 2001

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, today at a Congressional Luncheon hosted by 
myself and Rep. Ray LaHood, and attended by many Members of the House, 
we had the privilege of hearing remarks made by His Beatitude Mar 
Nasrallah Boutros Cardinal Sfeir, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all 
the East. This is the Patriarch's first visit to the United States 
since 1988, and he is here on the occasion of the elevation of the 
first American born Maronite Bishop Ralph Shaheen.
  While in the United States, the Patriarch expressed his vision of 
peace for Lebanon and the Middle East Region.
  Lebanon, the homeland of my grandfathers and its people, cherish the 
same values of democracy, respect for human rights, independence and 
sovereignty cherished by the people of America. That is why the 
Patriarch, the church and the people and government of Lebanon have 
supported the Middle East peace talks of the past, and hope for a 
resumption of those talks in the near future.
  Mr. Speaker I submit the words of His Beatitude, the Maronite 
Patriarch of Antioch and All the East be entered in the Record, so that 
my colleagues will be enabled to hear his urgent plea on behalf of a 
continued alliance between the United States and Lebanon.

       I am honored to be here among members of the legislative 
     body which makes laws for the United States and which have an 
     influence on the whole world. I thank you for all the support 
     you have given and are giving to Lebanon and its people. I 
     wish to speak about Lebanon, a country of 10,000 square 
     kilometers and 4 million people, but a country whose 
     historical roots extend more than 6,000 years. It is the 
     country where the alphabet was invented by the Phoenicians, 
     who spread its knowledge not by war, but through trade and 
     human interaction.
       Lebanon is a peace loving country which wants to live in 
     peace with all its neighboring countries, including Syria and 
     Israel. As a matter of fact, the Maronite Church and the 
     Lebanese people cherish the same values of democracy, respect 
     for human rights, independence and sovereignty cherished by 
     the American people. The entry of the Syrian troops into 
     Lebanon in 1976 was done without the request or permission of 
     anyone, as stated by former President Hafez al-Assad in his 
     speech of July 20, 1976. This was also noted by former 
     Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in his book. From that 
     time Syria has established its hegemony over Lebanon.
       While we have always advocated good relations between Syria 
     and Lebanon, true international relations are possible only 
     when the countries involved relate to each other on an equal 
     footing. They cannot be established if one country dominates 
     the other. Within the country, the people of Lebanon seek to 
     be democratic, where Christians and Moslems live in peaceful 
     co-existence, unless an outside element provokes a conflict. 
     We seek human and religious values--faith in God, justice, 
     equality, respect for human rights.
       Lebanon stands in the Middle East between Israel and Syria, 
     and has suffered difficulties for a quarter of a century--17 
     years of war, thousands of victims, and terrible destruction. 
     The Taef Agreement of 1989 was supposed to bring an end to 
     the war. The United States was a principal sponsor. However, 
     Taef has been implemented only partially and in a 
     discriminatory fashion. As a result, Lebanon has yet to 
     recover its institutional foundations. If the cannons are 
     silent, anxiety still remains. The country suffers from a 
     succession of crises due to the political situation in 
     Lebanon, in which Lebanon lacks sovereignty, independence, 
     and freedom in its decision-making.
       The South of Lebanon is still in a state of instability. A 
     large number of its citizens are either in exile, displaced 
     or in prison, leaving their families in dire straits. The 
     Israeli-Palestinian negotiations raise the question of the 
     final settlement of the Palestinian refugees, who have a 
     right to a just solution. However, no agreement should be 
     made at the expense of the Lebanese people. Imposing on tiny 
     Lebanon a large foreign population would have dire 
     demographic effects, since Lebanon already has the highest 
     population per capita in the region. It destabilizes the 
     balance between Christians and Moslems, and even among the 
     Moslems themselves.
       It is in the interest of the United States to help Lebanon 
     for the following reasons:
       (1) Lebanon seeks to be a democratic country and to enjoy 
     freedom.
       (2) Lebanon has always had one face toward the East and the 
     other toward the West. It possesses the culture of both East 
     and West.
       (3) The credibility of the United States requires that it 
     help Lebanon, and to liberate it from all foreign troops, 
     according to the Taef Agreement, sponsored by the United 
     States.
       (4) There is a large number of Lebanese immigrants in the 
     United Sates who have achieved success in the higher levels 
     of business and politics, and thereby can make an impact on 
     the American political system.
       (5) Christian influence is diminishing in the Middle East 
     and in Lebanon which has always been a stronghold of 
     Christianity. If there were no more Christians there, this 
     would be a catastrophe for Christianity, but would also 
     undermine respect for human rights.
       I know that you have the same view as we, namely, that 
     there should be no outside hegemony over Lebanon, even after 
     the departure of non-Lebanese troops. Lebanon should remain 
     an oasis of democracy, freedom, human values, and respect for 
     human rights. Again, thank you for your welcome and support. 
     May God bless you in your important work.





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