ARMENIAN AND SHIITE COMMUNITIES OF LEBANON HAVE NO POLITICAL DIFFERENCES

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.08.2006 14:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Relations between the Armenian and Shiite communities
of Lebanon have always been fraternal and there is no single case,
when interests of both communities were complicated by political
differences, Head of Defense of Released Territories organization,
native of Lebanon Zhirayr Sefilyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In
his words, Armenians of Lebanon have always supported Lebanon’s
demand on release of territories, occupied by Israel. "Our political
and religious leaders have always supported Lebanon’s efforts to that
end," he said.

In Sefilyan’s opinion, the key personage in that struggle is
Hezbollah. "It should be noted that Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan
Nasrallah grew up in an Armenian environment, in an Armenian
block. When speaking about domestic problems in Lebanon in his
speech on the TV and the press, Nasrallah appreciates the role of
Armenians in the country’s life. Armenian parties periodically meet
with Hezbollah leaders. We also see the role of that organization in
Lebanon’s life and appreciate Hezbollah having nothing in common with
Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda," Sefilyan underscored.

Some 100 thousand Armenians live in Lebanon at present. The residence
of Cilician Catholicosate (Antilias) is also situated in Lebanon.