Good Morning. It was a great privilege and a pleasure for me today to meet with Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Latif Derian. I wanted to first congratulate him on his recent election and to wish him success in his responsibilities.
I expressed my admiration for the voice of moderation and tolerance that His Eminence the Mufti has raised, which reflect the true face of religion and are vital in the face of the violence and extremism that is threatening Lebanon and the region. I agreed with the Mufti that coexistence and communication are the only way forward for Lebanon.
It was also an opportunity today to thank the Mufti for the cooperation that has grown between Dar El-Fatwa and the United Nations, particularly in addressing the humanitarian crisis of the displaced Syrians in Lebanon. I promised him that the United Nations would continue to do all it can to help in this regard and to encourage the international community to contribute further to sharing the burden. We looked forward to additional cooperation in this regard.