The Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, today met with His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East. The Deputy Secretary-General expressed his compassion for the suffering of all of the Syrian people and for the predicament faced by the Christian community.

The Deputy Secretary-General highlighted the need to bring down the level of violence in the country so as to lay the ground for a political solution and the need to work for tolerance.  

He welcomed His Beatitude's message of peace and inclusion. He urged His Beatitude to spread the message of peace, together with Syria's Muslim religious leaders.  He underlined the vital role and responsibility of religious leaders to move the country in the direction of reconciliation and healing.

His Beatitude John X will give a press briefing right after this one.