DIMAN: Maronite bishops called on the Lebanese on Wedinterests. The bishops held their monthly meeting on Wednesday headed by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir nesday to achieve national reconciliation and to refrain from serving foreign at the prelate's summer seat in the mountainous northern village of Diman, near Bshareh.

"Serving foreign interests by Lebanese people is an act of high treason," the statement said.

"True citizenship stands for sacrifice," it added, "Lebanese citizens should unite to preserve the country from dangers that threaten its existence."

The bishops also expressed hope for the speedy adoption of a "fair and just" electoral law and asked that the 2009 parliamentary elections be held in a secure atmosphere.

"Citizens should be allowed to choose their representatives without pressures or temptations," the statement said.

The bishops praised the efforts of the Parliament at electing a new president after a protracted political stalemate along with the formation of a national unity government. These developments, they said, had led to re-establishing the role of the constitutional institutions with the appointment of a new Lebanese army commander and the call for a national dialogue under the sponsorship of President Michel Sleiman.

The statement also urged speedy appointments to vacant governmental and administrative posts, emphasizing that these positions be filled "on the sole basis of qualifications, honesty and experience."

The bishops outlined many reasons for continued concern about the situation in Lebanon, adding that the unstable security environment topped the list.

"The security events that broke out in Tripoli and attacks against the Lebanese Armed Forces are a major source of concern," the statement said.

It added that Lebanese factions living below the poverty line in large cities of the country could be recruited by extremist groups to create instability and terrorize the people. "These groups were pleased by a little money and a lot of weapons to conduct actions hostile to order and law," said the statement.

The bishops' statement also stressed that a sharp divide exists among the political groups especially between the March 14 and March 8 factions.

"Feuding groups are urged to come closer so that the state can prevail," the bishops said, adding that politicians "are asked to shun tense and insulting rhetoric so as to preserve national unity."

They asked that the Lebanese government respect the judicial system in order to fight corruption and set an example for other Lebanese citizens.

According to the bishops, the nation is "at a crossroads, meaning that the Lebanese state should be aware of its responsibilities and take action to bring back hope to the young generation in order to stop emptying the country of its qualified workforce."

"The hope still survives that Lebanese youth will return home as long as they don't emigrate to far countries like the United States or Canada," the bishops said.

In separate comments, senior Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah called for a united Arab effort to resolve the economic and political problems in Lebanon and the Middle East.

Fadlallah met on rr could contribute to finding realistic political and economic solutions that would ensure the next elections are held in a spirit of openness and tolerance," Fadlallah said. However, he cautioned that such aid could turn into "negative intervention."

رأى المطارنة الموارنة ان "الاوان آن ليعمل السياسيون معا على نشر الهدوء في ربوع لبنان وتوطيد روح المصالحة والتعاون بين ابنائه، متكاتفين لاعادته الى وضعه الطبيعي والتخلص مما يترتب عليه من ديون باهظة، واعادة الثقة به، وتمكين جميع أبنائه من عيش رضي كريم". ولفت المطارنة في بيان أصدروه بعد إجتماعهم الدوري برئاسة البطريرك مار نصرالله بطرس صفير في بكركي الى أن "الانفجار الذي وقع في طرابلس وأودى بحياة عدد من اللبنانيين ومنهم بعض الجنود وأصاب عددا آخر من الجرحى لدليل على ان المتربصين بلبنان شرا لا يزالون ناشطين، وهذا يقتضي من اللبنانيين على اختلاف فئاتهم وآرائهم يقظة كبيرة وحسا وطنيا عميقا يجمع بينهم ليقفوا صفا واحدا في وجه الشر والاشرار الذين لا يريدون الخير والهدوء، ولأبنائه الطمأنينة والسلام. وأشاروا الى أن "الجو العام السائد في لبنان ليس جو تعاون بين مختلف الفئات اللبنانية لاخراج البلد من محنته، والعودة به الى وضع طبيعي يشجع أبناءه على الاستمرار في الاقامة في ربوعه، والعمل على المساعدة على اشاعة السلام والبحبوحة في صفوف ابنائه. ورأى المطارنة أنه "وبعد الاضطرابات التي عصفت بلبنان ومنها حادث بصرما المؤلم، آن الاوان ليعمل السياسيون معا على نشر الهدوء في ربوعه، وتوطيد روح المصالحة والتعاون بين أبنائه، متكاتفين لاعادة لبنان الى وضعه الطبيعي والتخلص مما يترتب عليه من ديون باهظة واعادة الثقة به وتمكين جميع ابنائه من عيش رضي كريم". واَضاف بيان المطارنة ""في هذا الشهر الذي تفتح فيه المدارس ابوابها في وجه الطلاب، ان التضامن الوطني يقضي بالتكافل بين فئات الوطن الواحد لتحمل اعباء النفقات المدرسية التي تتطلبها الاجيال الطالعة، ومن دون هذا التضامن لا مجال لتأمين التواصل بين الاجيال الحالية والاجيال الطالعة في لبنان". ودعا المطارنة أبناء الطائفة في هذا الشهر المخصص لتكريم السيدة العذراء، الى الاقبال عليها وطلب شفاعتها كي تستمد لنا من ابنها أمير السلام، السلام المنشود لنا وللعالم".