The Council of Ministers held yesterday a session, headed by the Prime Minister, Mr. Rafiq Al-Hariri, who started by explaining the purposes of the Conference of Lebanon Friends, to be held on December 16th. He also hoped the Conference would be a starting point to help Lebanon on the economic and development levels.
After the session, the Minister of Information, Mr. Basem Essabeh, declared the Cabinet handled the agenda items, and adopted most of them. After discussing the exposure made by the Minister of Environment, Mr Akram Chehayyeb about Bourj Hammoud dumpster, the cabinet decided, however, to pursue the examining of this issue, in its next session, on December 27th, along with the concerned bodies within the council of Development and Reconstruction, the council for carrying out projects of Greater Beirut and the council for carrying out Building Projects.
Essabeh added that the Council of Ministers also examined some items, which were not listed on the agenda, but were suggested by the Ministers. Among these items a proposal made by the Minister of Information to accept applications sent by the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI) and the Future Television, in order to hire a satellite channel for each, for three years, as well as authorizing both companies to broadcast direct and indirect political news and programs, which would be nevertheless, subjected to the control of the Ministry of Information. The Council of Ministers also agreed of nominating the general director of the Ministry of Information as head of the audio-visual broadcast organizing body, and assigned to the Minister of Information fixing practical and legal frameworks of this body, and of the censorship on political news and programs within the authorized audio-visual media.
Essabeh finally reaffirmed that he has not received any authorization applications by any new mass media.
The meeting held yesterday in Baabda between the President of the Republic, Mr. Elias Al-Hrawi, and the president of the Parliament, Mr. Nabih Berreh, and partly attended by the prime Minister, Mr. Rafiq Al-Hariri, was able to alleviate tension between both of them, after the issue of modifying the constitution was raised.
It seemed nevertheless, that each of the presidents hasn't not changed his attitude about that issue. After joining the president of the Republic, deputies Nouhad Soheil and Mansour Ghanem El-Bonn pointed out that the meeting ,the three presidents meetings ,was very positive and must be followed up.
Speaking on his behalf, visitors of president Berreh, on the other hand, said the meeting was a consultive one and many issues, among which modifying the constitution and the municipal elections were agreed on. Berreh, was said to still reject modifying Article 56 of the Constitution, concerning the signature of decrees and laws by the president of the Republic, the prime Minister and concerned Ministers. Instead, a detailed by law for the cabinet was required. Berreh also refused modifying Article 58, concerning the delay of 40 days to publish laws, through decrees, after being read in the parliament , for this was a fundamental article.
Deputies also said president Berreh reaffirmed the necessity of achieving all required administrative terms, to hold the municipal elections.
The Secretary of State, Mr. Fares Bweiz held yesterday a press conference, during which he handled the issue of the American travel ban on Lebanon, declaring the American administration was well aware that the reasons and conditions of this ban have long ago ended. Bweiz added that gradual steps were to be taken on this level.
He estimated, on the other hand, that holding the conference of Lebanon Friends in Washington would reaffirm the responsibility of the international community about the previous war period, as well as about following up in the future the undergoing development process. The secretary of state also rejected all political conditions imposed to counterpart the economic support.
About the possibility of a war between Israel and Syria, Bweiz noted that Syria didn't want but peace, while the Israeli officials declarations seemed to prepare the international community about a new a aggression.
He then estimated that monitoring committee couldn't take decisions and carry them out. Afterwards, he said the president of the Republic has the right to raise any issue concerning the constitution, and wondered if it was the right time to do it now and the right way to raise it.
Finally, Minister Bweiz declared that Lebanon has made a great step towards recovering from planting and producing drugs.
The Council of Maronite Bishops held yesterday its monthly meeting, headed by the Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, and issued a statement, in which he called for the officials to make a referendum about the proposed constitutional modifications, as it happens in all democratic countries. They also declared that there must be, behind the representatives of Lebanon, in the Conference of Lebanon Friends, a strongly-united political society which makes all citizens forget about differences, and live in solidarity.
Then, the financing scandal and the consequent crimes and tragedies, should be publicly cleared out and all those who bear the responsibility of the acts must be punished.
Balanced development would on the other hand, help all citizens to be satisfied. Finally, since christmas was a reason of inner joy and peace, all faithful were asked to have a solidarity with each other, and to help each other.
The Minister of the Republic Health, Mr. Soleiman Franjieh, met yesterday with the British ambassador in Beirut, Mr. David Ross Maclenan, and handled with him means of enforcing health cooperation between the two countries.
Franjieh then met with deputy Assem Qanso, along with a delegation of Baalbeck Governmental Hospital. After the visit, Qanso declared discussions were about the project of Hermel Governmental Hospital, and the Minister promised to have it built as soon as the necessary credit would be allocated.
Qanso also declared himself against decreasing the Public Health Ministry budget within the general state budget.
The Kuwaiti ambassador in Lebanon, Mr. Abd Errazak El-Kandari, visited yesterday the Minister of Emigrants, Mr Talal Erslan, and declared, after the meeting, that the Conference of Lebanon Friends, would be a part of the support Lebanon deserved from the international community, namely the Arabic World.
El-Kandari denied any Lebanese people living in Kuwait were being expelled by the Kuwaiti government.
*After a meeting held yesterday in its headquarters, the Gathering for the Republic, headed by Dr. Albert Mokhayber, denounced the crimes occurring in different regions, and among which the murders of Raafat Soleiman and Farid Mossalli.
*The ambassadors of Tunis and Sudan, Messers Mohammed Najib and Ottoman Eddardiri visited yesterday the minister of state for Administrative Reform, Mr. Bechara Merhej, and discussed with him means of developing cooperation between their countries and Lebanon.
*Emir Farouq Abi Ellameh reaffirmed that the president of the Republic has the right to submit necessary suggestions, adding he would agree of this step, after taking knowledge of the president attitude and wish to modify some articles in the constitution.
*The parliamentary committee on Finance and Budget adopted yesterday the budget of the Ministry of the Interior Affairs for 1997, with 328 billion 96 million 940 thousands L.P. as the first part, and 19 billion 429 million L.P. as the second one.
The 13th period of the Lebanese football series ended yesterday, with two matches
1-Al-Ansar v/s Al-Homenmen (3-0) (at Saida local stadium)
2-Assafa v/s Al-Homentmen (2-1) (at Tripoli local stadium)
Team --------------Games ----Won -----Equal -----lost -----scored ---Got ----Points
1-Al-Ansar ---------13-------- 10-------- 2--------- 1-------- 27------- 4 ------32
2-Annejmeh --------13---------7--------- 2--------- 4-------- 25------- 15----- 23
3-Al-Homenmen ----13-------- 7 ---------2 ---------4-------- 23------- 20 -----23
4-Al-Homentmen ---13-------- 6--------- 3--------- 4--------- 24------ 17----- 21
5-Arryada Waladab 13-------- 5---------- 6--------- 2-------- 11------- 8------ 21
6-Al-Aka-Aley -----13-------- 5----------4--------- 4--------- 16------ 17----- 19
7-Chabab Assahel --13-------- 5--------- 4--------- 4--------- 14------- 16---- 19
8-Assafa ------------13-------- 5--------- 3--------- 5 ---------17-------16 ----18
9-Attadamoun-Tyre 13--------- 4--------- 4--------- 5 ---------12 -------16----16
10-El-Bourj --------13--------- 3----------5 ---------5----------9--------14----14
11-El-Hekmeh -----13--------- 3--------- 4----------6 ---------18 -------20--- 13
12-Achabiba -------13--------- 1--------- 7--------- 5--------- 10------- 21--- 10
13-Assalam --------13--------- 1--------- 6--------- 6----------13------- 22---- 8
14-Racing ----------13 ---------2---------2 --------- 9--------- 10--------22---- 8
--------------------Buying ------------Selling
Syrian Pound------ 34,50 ------------38,50
Iraqi Dinar ---------51,00 ------------55,00
Kuwaiti Dinar -----5178,75 ---------5182,75
Jordanian dinar ----2187,10 ---------2191,50
Bahreini Dinar -----4117,20 ---------4121,25
Libyian Dinar ------1650------------- 1660
Qatari Riyal --------424,70 ---------- 428,70
Emirates Dirham --420,30 ---------- 424,80
Saudi Riyal ------- 412,10 ---------- 416,30
Omani Riyal ------ 4155 ------------ 4157
Egyptian Pound -- 456,50 ---------- 460,50
French Franc ----- 295,10 --------- 299,60
1000 African Franc 480,50 -------- 489,40
Netherlands --------896,10 -------- 900,11
Swiss Franc -------1174,01---------1178,87
1000 Italian lira ----997 -------------1001
Sweden coronne ----226,15 ---------230,83
Denmark coronne ---262,50 ---------267,23
Belgium Franc -------47,10 ----------48,94
Turquish Pound ------0,4580 ---------0,4590
Cyprus pound --------3321,10 ------ 3325,97
U.S. Dollar ---------- 1549 ----------1557,50
Australian Dollar -----1229,10 -------1233,76
Canadian Dollar -----1140,10 --------1144,52
1000 Japanese Yen ---13075,50 ------13079,60
Dutch Mark ---------1004,30 ------- 1008,45
English Pound -------144500 ---------149500
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