NNA - Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Beshara Boutros Rahi denounced Tuesday the attempts by the West to foment strife between Muslims and Christians in the Middle East, stressing those bids, fueling the conflict in Syria, were destroying the 1400-year-aged civilization of both religions.



The prelate made these remarks during his meeting with a delegation of the Imperial Orthodox Association of Russia, currently on a visit to Lebanon, at Bkekri, with Russian Ambassador Alexander Zasypkin attending.



The meeting featured high on the relations between the Maronite and Orthodox churches, and the situation of Christians in the Middle East.



"We highly esteem the position of Russia, Church and State, as to the necessity to end the Syrian war and safeguard the presence of Christians," Rahi said. "Christians in the East are in need of peace and stability," he stressed.



He did not fail to laud the fresh agreement between Russia and the US which saved Syria from a military strike.



For his part, the Russian envoy maintained that the main goal was now to brace for the much-sought Geneva II conference and to reach a political solution to the Syria crisis.



==============R.A.H.