The patriarch of Antoich, Alexandria, Jerusalem and the Whole East for the Greek- Catholic Church Gregorius III Lahham has stressed that his visit to the US is a religious one, in the first place despite the fact he did not rule out to meet with American officials if such dates are arranged.

At the beginning of his American tour which he started on Saturday Lahham noted the visit made by Pope John Paul II to Syria and considered it as " brave and historical."

In a statement to the " Arab- American daily" which is issued in Michigan, Lahham refused to get into details in the Lebanese policy and confined to remarking that the refusal of the Maronite patriarch Nasrullah Butrous Sfeir to visit Syria to welcome the Pope will not affect their bilateral relations.

Lahham ( a Syrian), at whose honor upon arriving at Detroit airport a reception was held attended by the honorary consuls of Syria and Lebanon Zein al-Musawi and Naji Roushan stressed the stand of the Vatican beside the Arab right in Jerusalem and the care to maintain international legitimacy.