The President of the Republic, Mr. Elias Al-Hrawi, was joined yesterday by the
Minister of Industry and Oil, Mr. Chaheh Barsomyan, who declared there would be in the future, two separated Ministries, one for Industrial Affairs and one for Oil.
Then, Al-Hrawi received deputy Morris Fadel, who noted that people in the north were disappointed by their region's representation in the Cabinet.
The President of the Republic also met with the Minister of State, Mr. Michel Eddeh and the Minister of Culture and High Education, Mr. Fawzi Hobeich.
President Al-Hrawi, on the other hand, might soon have a T.V. broadcasted dialogue with youth, on the occasion of the 7th year of his election President of the Lebanese Republic.
The Minister of the Information, Mr. Basem Essabeh visited yesterday the president of the parliament, Mr. Nabih Berreh, and the Prime Minister, Mr. Rafiq Al-Hariri, to thank them for their confidence.
After meeting with Berreh, Essabeh praised the role the head of the parliament had played to have the government constituted.
Essabeh also hoped, during a radio-broadcasted interview, that the new government would stand for the perspectives of the Lebanese people, in the next period.
The head of the parliament, Mr. Nabih Berreh, sent yesterday a telegram in which he congratulated the American president, Mr. Bill Clinton of his reelection. He did the same for his Egyptian peer, Mr. Ahmed Fathi Srour.
Then, he received in Ain-Ettineh Ministers Hobeich, Hanna Jaber, Abou Hamdan and Homayed, and deputies Salah El-Harakeh, Mohammad Abd El-Hamid Baydoun, And Mahmoud Awad.
A consultant in the World Health Organization (WHO), and professor of medicine in both the Lebanese and the American Universities in Beirut, Dr. Hicham Baroudi was yesterday granted the Order of Health Merit, by the former Health Minister, Mr. Marwan Hemadeh on behalf of the President of the Republic, Mr. Elias Al-Hrawi. Baroudi thanked the president of the Republic and Minister Hemadeh for this Order.
The Minister of health, Mr. Soleiman Franjieh, declared he was disappointed by the North share of portfolios in the new cabinet.
The Minister of culture and high education, Mr. Fawzi Hobeich, asked for a constructive opposition and to separate politics from administration.
The Minister of environment, Mr. Akram Choheib, found it strange that the Prime Minister, Mr. Rafiq Al-Hariri be a minister of state for phone affairs.
Minister Talal Erslan reaffirmed he was going to work so that this government program would be completely different from the previous one.
The Minister of transport, Mr. Omar Mesqawi hoped all Ministers in the new government would work together.
The Minister of public works Mr. Ali Hrajli described the new government as harmonious.
Finally, the minister of state for industrial affairs, Mr. Nadim Salem, called the President of the Republic, Mr. Elias Al-Hrawi and the Prime Minister, Mr. Rafiq Al-Hariri to thank them for their confidence.
The vice-Prime Minister and Home Secretary Mr. Michel El-Murr, left yesterday Beirut to Qatar, along with a military delegation, in a two-days visit. El-Murr was invited by the Qatar Interior Minister, Actually the Prime Minister of the State of Qatar.
El-Murr announced carrying a message from President Al-Hrawi to the Emir of Qatar.
* In a meeting called for by Byblos Ecologic Association, associations of Byblos recommended protecting the citizens rights to use the Lebanese beach as a public domain.
* The head of the Lebanese Bank Association, Dr. Francois Basil declared that corruption scandals and loss and deals rumours were hurting Lebanon reputation abroad.
* After having participated in the Arab Week for trades, industry, agriculture, tourism and patrimonial arts, held in Napoli-Italy, the Lebanese delegation, headed by the president of the chamber of trade and Industry in Beirut, Mr. Adnan Al-Qassar, returned yesterday to lebanon.
* The Minister of Public Works, Mr. Ali Hrajli insisted on shutting all quarries off since they are damaging the health as well as environment. He also hoped the parliament would adopt the Ministry's plan of roads.
* The head of the Lebanese Union of Public World Contractors, Mr. Fouad El-Khazen, reaffirmed the necessity of dealing with the quarries issue, in a more objective way, and within a specific plan.
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