Hazim: Syria unlikely to witness a civil war
The Daily Star
22/10/2011
BEIRUT: Syria is unlikely to face a civil war despite the current unrest in the country, according to the Orthodox patriarch, Ignatius IV Hazim, who said he supported the views of the Maronite patriarch.
Speaking during a radio interview, Hazim said he agreed with Patriarch Beshara Rai’s fears that Islamist fundamentalists might take power in Syria if the regime falls, while adding “we are not afraid of the present.”
Hazim said he took exception to the notion that “Christians defend their existence at the expense of freedom and human rights,” referring to the argument that religious minorities supported authoritarian regimes.
