Beirut: Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi dispatched this morning Bishops Elias Nassar and Antoine Awkar to visit Army Commander General Rudolph Haykal at his office in the Ministry of Defense. The two bishops conveyed Patriarch Rahi's greetings and full support for the Army Commander and for the military institution, "this national institution that has made and continues to make sacrifices across the entire nation."

According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the bishops also conveyed to General Haykal Patriarch Rahi's emphasis on "the necessity for all Lebanese to rally around the Commander, the military institution, and all security forces in order to enable them to protect Lebanon- its land and people- and to extend the state's authority over all its territory." Patriarch Rahi also expressed his hope that the international community will extend a helping hand to the Lebanese Army so that it can implement international resolutions and establish security and peace both internally and along the borders.