At 9:30 yesterday in the morning, the president of the parliament, Mr. Nabih Berreh, inaugurated the second meeting of the general assembly and the political and administrative section of International French-speaking parliament members.
Held within the hall of the parliament building, the conference included representatives of Benin, Canada, Congo, Belgium, the Central African Republic , France, Jura and Vallee provinces in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Mali, Quebec and Vietnam.
The conference was also attended, on the Lebanese side, by the vice-president of the assembly and the head of Lebanese parliamentary section, deputy Khatchick Babekian, as well as deputies Abd Ellatif Ezzayn, Bahia Al-hariri, Hagop Joekhadaryan, Kamil Ziyadeh, Nasib Lahoud, Zaher El-khatib, Assem Qanso, Mohammed Abd El-Hamid Baydoun, Baha Eddine Itani, Adnan Araqgi, Raji Abou Haydar, Jihad Assamad, Mosbah El-Ahdab, Hussein Yatim, Nayla Mohawad, Boutros Harb, Ayman Chokeir, Marwan Fares, and qabalan Isa El-Khoury.
President Berreh held the opening speech, during which he greeted the assembled, and reaffirmed the confidence French-speaking parliament members were granting, through this second session, to Lebanon, especially that the first meeting was held also in Lebanon, about a year and a half ago .
Berreh said the progress made, during this period, in the reconstruction process was very obvious. Israel, however, doesn't want Lebanon to have an economic recovery, so it used violence against this small country, as in April 1996, and killed civilians.
On the regional level, Israel also wouldn't admit the principles of Madrid Conference, upon which the peace process was based, furthermore, it is preparing for war. President Berreh asked the French-speaking parliament members to support the people right to defend their territories against the Israeli aggressions and occupation. He then called for a common economic market between the countries represented in this assembly, in order to have a better development cooperation, but first peace and security must be established. He finally hoped the meetings would end with a positive look for the future.
Six of the opposition deputies Messers Hussein El-Husseini, Omar Karameh, Salim El-Hoss, Nasib Lahoud, Boutros Harb and Mohammed Yousef Baydoun held yesterday a meeting in president Karameh's house, and decided, since the new government couldn't face the challenges within the country, and portfolios were distributed on community basis;
1-Not to grant the confidence to the government.
2-To insist on raising the motion about extending the period for the non-authorized audio-visual media.
President Karameh, who read the deputies decision, also said the assembled were ready to cooperate with each one who would work for the country's sake.
Karameh declared the 6 deputies wouldn't participate in the demonstration decided on November 28th, but they totally support such movement.
A new opposition bloc, called the Lebanese National Gathering, would see the light today from the headquarters of the National Liberal Party, at Sodeco.
Proclaimed the night before the Independence Day, the main title of this bloc program is sovereignty and Independent decision.
The founding committee of this bloc is composed of two members of each represented party or movement and includes till now.
-The National Liberal Movement: with chief commander Michel Aoun and the ex-president of the state council, judge Yousef Saadallah Khayrallah.
-The Phalanges Opposition: with the ex-president of the republic Mr. Amin Jemayel and the ex-president of the Phalanges Party, Dr. Elie karameh.
-The National Liberal Party with the actual president Dory Chamoun, and the member of High Council, Dr.Elias Abou Asi.
-The former political adviser of the dissolved Lebanese Forces leader, Dr.Toufic El-Hindy, who will participate in person, since the dissolved Lebanese Forces couldn't take a decision.
- Journalist Gebran Twaini, as an independent person.
-The former Minister and deputy Fouad Naffah, as the general secretary of the bloc.
On the occasion of the Independence day, the Army chief commander Emil Lahoud addressed the soldiers, praising their performance during last year crises. The Army was both facing the Israeli occupation in the south and west Bekaa, and working to keep the interior security. All soldiers abide by the law, for it was the only way to continue the reconstruction and peace process.
The Minister of Public Health, Mr. Soleiman Franjieh, discussed with Swedish ambassador in Beirut means of health interaction between Sweden and Lebanon.
Franjieh also received the Italian ambassador in Beirut, Carlo Calia, who declared the visit was to discuss health cooperation between Italy and Lebanon.
The Kuwait ambassador, Abd Errazak El-kandari, carried the good wishes of Minister Franjieh Kuwait peer, especially that his country coordinated with the Ministry of public health in many projects such as hospitals and medical centers.
* During a press conference, the president of the Doctors Union, Fayeq Younes, raised the issue of doctor George Nakad, kidnapped 20 days ago from his parents house in Deir Minas, and asked all doctors to cease work for half and hour, at 12:00 on Friday, in solidarity with their kidnapped friend.
* Yesterday, Beirut saw a heavy traffic jam, blocking citizens in their cars for more than 3 hours. In Maameltein region, the Tripoli-Beirut road was cut in order to carry out maintainance works, especially on Maameltein bridge, where a hole was threatening everyone's life the traffic was deviated to side roads, causing another heavy traffic jam.
* The head of the Lebanese Industrial Association, Mr Jack Sarraf, headed yesterday a meeting with El-Matn coast industrials, along with directors Fadi Aboud and Imad Kassab and the general directors of the Association, Mr. Saad Eddine El-Owayni, and discussed with them the situation of the industry.
* The executive board of the General Labour Union held yesterday an ordinary meeting, headed by Mr. Elias Abou Rizk, and decided not to participate in the public ceremonies, on the occasion of the Independence day.
The 10th period of the Lebanese football championship ended yesterday, when 3 games were held as the following:
1) Al-Ansar v/s Al-Homentmen (4-1) (at Tripoli local stadium)
2) Assafa v/s El-Hekmeh (0-0) (at Assafa stadium, Wata Mosaitbeh)
3) El-Bourj v/s Attadamoun-Tyre (0-0) (at Bourj Hammoud local stadium)
| Team | Games | Win | Equal | Lost | Scored | Got | Points |
| 1 Al-Ansar | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 5 | 23 |
| 2 Annejmeh | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 9 | 20 |
| 3 Al-Homenmen | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 13 | 20 |
| 4 Al Homentmen | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 15 | 17 |
| 5 Chabab-Assahel | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 17 |
| 6 Al-Akha-Aley | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 16 |
| 7 Arryada Waladab | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 16 |
| 8 Al-Bourj | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 13 |
| 9 Al-Hekmeh | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 16 | 12 |
| 10 Attadamoun-Tyre | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 10 |
| 11 Assafa | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 9 |
| 12 Assalam Zgharta | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 20 | 7 |
| 13 Achabiba | 10 | - | 6 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 6 |
| 14 Racing | 10 | - | 2 | 8 | 6 | 19 | 2 |
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