Category: Government Policy

Free Patriotic Movement leader, MP Gebran Bassil, on Tuesday welcomed at the FPM’s general headquarters, the new Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, who came on an acquaintance visit upon assuming his diplomatic duties in the country.

According to a statement by FPM, discussions touched on the bilateral relations between the two countries, in addition to the situation in the region, in general, and the Gaza war and its repercussions on Lebanon in particular. The discussion also dealt with internal files and the role that Egypt can play in this context.

Bassil later received the new Greek Ambassador to Lebanon, Despina Koukoulopoulou, who came on an acquaintance visit upon assuming her duties in the country.

The meeting touched on bilateral relations and developments in the region.

Bassil also received Argentinian Ambassador to Lebanon, Maria Virginia Kantar, with whom he discussed the bilateral relations and recent regional developments.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon

Former Minister and MP Walid Jumblatt received at his Clemenceau residence this evening the Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, in the presence of MP Wael Abu Faour.

The current developments in Lebanon and the region topped their discussions.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, receive this afternoon at Ain al-Tineh Palace the Australian Ambassador to Lebanon, Andrew Barnes, where the general situation in Lebanon and the region and bilateral relations between the two countries were reviewed.

The Speaker later discussed the political situation and field developments in the south in light of Israel’s continued aggression against the Gaza Strip and Lebanon’s southern border towns and villages during his meeting with former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Interior Elias Murr, in the presence of MP Michel Murr.

On emerging, Murr said that talks with the Parliament Speaker focused on three main issues, certainly the situation in the south and the continued Israeli violations of Lebanese territory and the rules of engagement of an aggression that everyone hopes will not expand further, as the situation cannot tolerate it at all levels.

Murr added that the second issue tackled during today’s encounter with the House Speaker was the va
cuum in the leadership of the Lebanese Army. He said: ‘As you know, I was in the Defense Ministry for nine years and I know the risk of such vacuum if it occurs during peacetime, so how about if we are in a situation of war…?! For this reason, Speaker Berri confirmed that he will do what is necessary so there will be no vacuum in the army leadership.’

The former minister continued to indicate that the third topic featuring high in his talks with the House Speaker was the vacuum in the presidency of the republic. He said: ‘The huge problem is the internal conflict, specifically the Christian-Christian conflict, which we are all suffering from…Speaker Berri is also suffering from it…Amidst such prevailing conditions, we ought to have been immune, to have a president, a government, security apparatuses, and an army…Today we are a country without a head!’

In response to a news correspondent’s question about UN Resolution 1701 and the deployment of the Lebanese army on the border, Murr replied: ‘I am one
of those who drafted this resolution when we went to Rome and worked on it, which is considered to this day to have created interest in Lebanon because there are more than thirty countries within the UNIFIL force operating in the south under it… At that time, some blamed us for this agreement claiming it had loopholes, but this ensured security protection for the country…Amending the 1701 would mean destroying it…This is a very dangerous thing and we should not think about it. Implementing 1701 is something else that we are committed to as Lebanese, and certainly the government, as we see and hear, and the parliament is also committed to 1701, but amending it is a service to Israel!’

In response to another question about Speaker Berri’s position on this matter, Murr said that he is committed to 1701 in full but did not go into more details, adding, ‘I say let us implement 1701 and that is enough.’

Asked about his opinion on the real risk of a war extension, Murr said: “I have confidence that those who
are dealing with the southern issue – the Lebanese army, the government, Speaker Berri, and the resistance on the ground – have sufficient awareness so that we do not get there.”

Later in the afternoon, Speaker Berri chaired a meeting of the Parliament Bureau, in the presence of his deputy, MP Elias Bou Saab, the Secretaries of the Parliament Council, Hadi Abou Al-Hosn and Alain Aoun, the Commissioners, MPs Michel Moussa, Karim Kabbara, and Hagop Pakradounian, and the Parliament’s Secretary-General, Adnan Daher.

After the meeting, MP Bou Saab said that the Parliament Bureau studied today the draft agenda of the general assembly that will be held this week, including all draft and proposed laws completed by the parliamentary committees.

Asked about the issue of the Army Chief’s mandate extension, Bou Saab considered that ‘the solution is still available for the government to carry out a legal step, and efforts are still underway to reach the best solution.’

It is to note that the Speaker has called for a l
egislative session to study the projects and proposed laws completed by the committees, to be held at 11:00 a.m. upcoming Thursday.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Caretaker Minister of National Defense, Maurice Slim, received a call on Monday from the Netherlands Defense Minister, Kajsa Ollongren, with whom he discussed developments in southern Lebanon and the region.

The Dutch minister stressed the need to reduce escalation, emphasizing that the international community must look forward in the future to achieving a two-state solution.

In turn, Slim stressed that stability cannot be achieved in the region without a just and comprehensive peace and adherence to the provisions of the relevant international resolutions.

During the call, the role of UNIFIL in southern Lebanon was also presented, in which context Minister Slim underlined the importance of UNIFIL’s work and Lebanon’s adherence to its role, especially in these delicate circumstances that the region is going through.

He also praised the ongoing cooperation and coordination between the Lebanese army and UNIFIL and the close relationship that has existed between the local community and the peacekeeping forc
es over the past decades.

The call was also a chance to discuss bilateral relations in the military field, especially between both armies.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Caretaker Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, affirmed in a speech he delivered during his participation in the meeting held at the United Nations in Geneva marking the 75th anniversary of the ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’, that ‘Lebanon will remain loyal to the values of democracy, human rights, tolerance, and acceptance of the different other.’

Bou Habib underlined Lebanon’s respect for said Declaration, to which it honorably contributed whilst in the preparation phase, and for the covenants that later emerged from it, deeming it an ‘essential matter for the sustainability of human civilization,’ particularly in a world that is witnessing a steady growth in the phenomena of discrimination, intolerance, racism, and rejection of others, and in light of the risks that these phenomena pose on the social fabric and constitutional life within countries, as well as on international relations.

Based on the above, Bou Habib stressed that ‘Lebanon pledges, despite all the challeng
es, especially the presence of two million refugees on its territory, who constitute about 40 percent of the total population, to remain loyal to the values of democracy, human rights, tolerance, and acceptance of the different other, which is rooted in its history, society, and political system, in order to preserve its unique formula based on diversity, pluralism, and peaceful coexistence, and creativity among its various sects and components.’

On another note, Lebanon’s Foreign Minister will speak this evening in a closed dialogue session organized by the ‘Humanitarian Dialogue’ Research Center, in which he will address the recent developments in Gaza and the situation in southern Lebanon and the Middle East region.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

House Speaker Nabih Berri called today for a legislative session to study the projects and proposed laws completed by the parliamentary committees, at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 14, 2023.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, received today at his Yarzeh office, MP Hadi Abou Al-Hassan, followed by Chairman of the Defense Committee in Parliament, MP Jihad Al-Samad, and former MP Fares Saeed.

Discussions during the consecutive meetings touched on the general situation in the country and the latest developments at the southern border.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

The Islamic Resistance issues the following statement: “In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, the Islamic Resistance fighters launched an aerial attack with assault drones on a newly established command headquarters of the Israeli occupation army in the western sector south of the Ya’ara barracks at 10:00 am on Sunday, 10th December 2023. The targets were accurately hit, causing several casualties among their soldiers.”

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Caretaker minister of Information, Ziad Al-Makary signed a media cooperation agreement with Minister of the Chinese National Radio and Television Administration, Cao Shumin.

The agreement included domains of cooperation in radio and television technology, enhancing the application of new technologies, exchanging and distributing programs and news, and logistical support for media teams in the two countries, in addition to cooperation in governing the administrative policies of media institutions.

The two ministers stressed the need to strengthen the relationship between Lebanon and China at all levels.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Former MP Mesbah Al-Ahdab received today at his Tripoli home the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, accompanied by an FPM delegation, as part of his development tour in the city of Tripoli on Sunday.

The visit was a chance to deliberate on the general situation prevailing in Lebanon, particularly in Tripoli.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon