Vatican’s ambassador to Lebanon has hailed the Iranian-brokered Syria peace initiative, stressing that dialog and political solution constituted the sole way out of the ongoing crisis in the Arab nation. On December 16, Iran unveiled the details of a six-point plan which calls for an immediate end to all armed violence in Syria and lifting of all economic sanctions imposed against the country.
It also calls for talks between the Syrian government and the representatives of all Syrian groups regardless of their political and social affiliations in order to form a national reconciliation committee.
The Vatican official, Bishop Gabriele Caccia, stated on Tuesday that the final decision on the political status of Syria has to be taken by the people of that country and through democratic channels.
Speaking in a meeting with Iranian ambassador to Beirut, Ghazanfar Roknabadi, Caccia reiterated Vatican’s opposition to foreign financial and military assistance for the militants fighting against Syrian government, underlining the Holy See’s call for dialogue in the country.
The papal representative also hailed Iran’s constructive role in the region and called for regional and international support for the Iranian peace plan. Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011.
Many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the turmoil.
A recent UN report revealed that militants from 29 countries, mostly extremist Salafists, have so far infiltrated into Syria to fight against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.