Al-Rahi to Accompany Franjieh to Baabda Monday

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi and Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh will visit President Michel Aoun at the Baabda Palace on Monday as part of a Bkirki initiative, a media report has said.

"Al-Rahi is seeking to mend ties between Franjieh and President Michel Aoun," MTV reported.

The patriarch had visited Baabda last week to put Aoun in the picture of his endeavor “and it seems that he heard a positive answer from the president,” the TV network added.

“Contacts away from the spotlight might have also taken place with Bnashii,” MTV said.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had on Friday announced that the party wants ties to be restored between its two main Christian allies – the Free Patriotic Movement and Marada.

Ties between Aoun and Franjieh were strained after the latter was nominated for the presidency by al-Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri in late 2015.