Cabinet meets under Aoun, to discuss 34 item agenda

The Council of Ministers convened in session on Thursday at Baabda Presidential Palace under the chairmanship of President of the Republic, Michel Aoun, and the presence of Prime Minister Saad Hariri and ministers.

The Council of Ministers will be discussing a 34-item agenda, in addition to other items in need of urgent and appropriate decisions.

The cabinet is also expected to discuss the appointment of an electoral observation committee, and the queries project law.

The session had been preceded by a meeting between Aoun and Hariri during which the pair broached the most recent developments at the local and regional scenes.

Prior to the session, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, Ghassan Hasbani, said that the Lebanese Forces ministers would stress the paramount importance of appointing an electoral observation committee due to the swiftly nearing deadlines.

Also, Hasbani said that the LF ministers would ask about the reason why the victory celebration had been cancelled.

In turn, Information Minister Melhem Riachy denied that Russian President Vladimir Putin had asked Hariri to normalize relations with Syria.

"On the contrary, he [Putin] stressed the importance of steering Lebanon clear from Syria developments," Riachy added.

Social Affairs Minister, Pierre Abou Assi said: "We will raise the issue of observing the general elections scheduled for May, 2018, and we will ask why the victory ceremony that the Lebanese had been waiting for was canceled."

Abou Assi added that questions about the electricity issue would be raised to find out the most recent developments between the tenders department, the Ministry of Water and Energy, and the EDL.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Kanso, said Lebanon's request to take part in the reconstruction of Syria required coordination with the Syrian regime.

Touching on the heatedly debated issue of famed Lebanese Film Director, Ziad Douiri, Kanso lashed out at what he described as "laxity" handling this issue, wondering whether this was headed towards the normalization of relations with the Israeli enemy.

Trade and Economy Minister, Raed Khoury, said that Moscow meetings recommended making Lebanon a base station for the reconstruction of Syria in partnership with the Lebanese and Russian private sectors via free zones.

Also, Minister of Industry, Hussein Hajj Hassan, made clear that discussions were ongoing over the implementation of the new electoral law, adding that points of disagreement were being thrashed out by the concerned ministerial committees.

"We had been told that the victory celebration had been canceled for logistical reasons. Whoever wishes to ask about the reason why it had been cancelled is required to address this questions to those who cancelled the celebration in the first place," Hajj Hassan added

Source: NNA