BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai agreed with three rival Maronite political leaders Friday on the need to hold the presidential election on time.

Rai chaired a meeting at the patriarchate in Bkirki late Friday that brought together Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, former President Amine Gemayel, head of the Kataeb Party, and Zghorta MP Suleiman Franjieh, head of the Marada Movement.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, who had joined the three leaders in previous meetings in Bkirki, did not attend for security reasons. The four leaders are potential candidates to the country’s top Christian post.

“The atmosphere at the meeting was positive. The participants stressed the need for the presidential election to be held on time,” Walid Ghayyad, a spokesman for Rai, told The Daily Star. [Link]