Yesterday afternoon, the cabinet held its second session, headed by the President of the Republic, Mr. Elias Al-Hrawi, and handled the governmental statement . At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Information, Basem Essabeh declared President Al-Hrawi asked the Ministers to discuss the statement and to make their remarks, before sending it to the parliament.
Essabeh added that the Ministers suggested modifications, which were noted in order to integrate them in the statement. Essabeh also said that the media issue was not handled, while the social crisis held the greater part of the statement.
Last Saturday, the Prime Minister, Mr Rafiq Al-Hariri, met with the Secretary of State, Mr. Fares Bweiz, who informed President Al-Hariri of the results of his last meeting with the American ambassador in Beirut, Mr Richard Jones, and the American preparations for the Conference of Lebanon Friends, to be held on next December 16th.
About the Coral Beach meeting Bweiz said social and economic crisis existed indeed, but there must be a strategy to deal with it.
About the Economic Conference held recently in Cairo, Bweiz stated that any common work in the region, aiming at a political policy within this region, can't be reached, as long as the Arab-Israeli conflict was not settled down.
On the other hand, president Al-Hariri had talks yesterday, in Damascus, with the Syrian vice-president, Mr. Abd El-Halim Khaddam, and some Syrian officials.
The President of the Republic, Mr. Elias Al-Hrawi, took part, two days ago along with his wife, Mrs Mona Al-Hrawi, in the annual dinner the general Maronite council was giving, in Bristol Hotel. Also were present the president of the parliament, Mr. Nabih Berreh, his wife, Mrs. Randa Berreh, the Prime Minister, Mr. Rafiq Al-Hariri, his wife, Mrs. Nazek Al-Hariri, bishop Khalil Abi Nader, representing the Maronite Patriarch, Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, besides several Ministers and deputies.
The head of the Maronite council, Mr. Raymond Ruphael, delivered a speech in which he enumerated President Al-Hrawi's achievements, during the last 7 years, such as peace, the Army unification, the return of dislodged People which has began, as well the reconstruction process.
President Al-Hrawi then delivered a speech in which he launched a war against corruption, asking Justice to review all files. He also reiterated his position about liberating the South and the West Bekaa, according to resolution 425.
Praising the role the Maronite people were playing in this period, Al-Hrawi noted that it was against Lebanon to let one community dominate another.
The inhabitants of Bindnayel and Soleiman family held a meeting in the house of Mohammed Soleiman, Raafat's father, and dealt with the recent events of the issue.
Raafat is accused of stealing money from the Ministry of Finance, where he was working before disappearing. Raafat's cousin, Ghassan Soleiman then showed by means of papers and documents that what Raafat did was called for by his superiors, and if his family was hiding him, it was to defend him from being misjudged .
* For the second time within a month, the Bank of Lebanon decreased the rate of interest on deposits; thus, the 45 days interest went down 12,5%, and the 60 days interest 13%.
The ninth period of the Lebanese football championship witnessed yesterday what was unpredictable. El-Hekmeh won over Al-Ansar (1-0), in the game they played, at Tripoli local stadium.
The other games results were as follows:
-El-Bourj v/s Al-Homentmen (1-0) (at Jamal Abd Ennaser stadium, in the Bekaa)
-Annejmeh v/s Attadamoun-Tyre (5-1) (at Saida local stadium)
-Arryada Waladab v/s Al-Homenmen (1-00 (at Tripoli local stadium)
-Al-Akha v/s Assafa (4-1) (at Bourj Hammoud local stadium)
| Team | Games | Win | Equal | Lost | Scored | Got | Points |
| 1 Al-Ansar | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 20 |
| 2 Annejmeh | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 8 | 19 |
| 3 Al-Homenmen | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 11 | 19 |
| 4 Al Homentmen | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 11 | 17 |
| 5 Al-Akha-Aley | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 15 |
| 6 Arryada Waladab | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 15 |
| 7 Chabab Assahel | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 14 |
| 8 Al-Bourj | 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
| 9 Al-Hekmeh | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 16 | 11 |
| 10 Attadamoun-Tyre | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 9 |
| 11 Assafa | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 8 |
| 12 Assalam Zgharta | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 18 | 6 |
| 13 Achabiba | 9 | - | 5 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 5 |
| 14 Racing | 9 | - | 2 | 7 | 5 | 17 | 2 |
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