The President of the Republic, Mr. Elias Al-Hrawi, received yesterday deputy Boutros Harb, who said discussions were about issues raised during the last parliamentary session. About modifying the constitution, Harb said he had made remarks which supported the President's position. He, however, wished the whole file would be studied, in order to deal with the weaknesses of the regime once and for all, for instead of having a parliamentary democratic one, we are dealing with a tripartite regime now.
Harb added that we must have enough courage to raise the issue, for conditions might never allow it, so that powers would be specified and control exercised upon them. He also estimated it was natural, since the regime is a parliamentary democratic one, to have different opinions, especially by the president of the parliament, Mr. Nabih Berreh.
Al-Hrawi also received the dean of the consular corps, the general consul of Singapore in Lebanon, Mr. Joseph Habiss, who informed the President of the results of his visit to Singapore. He also declared having carried the greetings of the President of Singapore to the Lebanese President, wishing the latter would visit his country upon a formal invitation. The general secretariat of the Presidency, information sector, issued a statement in which it declared the president of the Republic would resume receiving deputies every Thursday, between 17:00 and 19:00, starting next Thursday, December 5th.
Tomorrow, the cabinet will hold a first session in Baabda after obtaining the confidence, and will discuss, among other items on the agenda, the municipal elections issue; the Home Secretary, Mr. Michel El-Murr will declare the Ministry's willingness to hold these elections within two months, otherwise actual municipal councils term will be expanded.
Distributed yesterday on Ministers, this session agenda includes 71 articles, among them:
-A bill to correct an error in the text of an agreement published in the Official Register.
-The exposure by the Ministry of Justice of the agreement supplementing the judicial treaty, concluded on February 25th 1951, between Syria and Lebanon.
-The exposure by the Ministry of Interior Affairs of the municipal elections issue.
-A draft-decree to ratify the general and detailed design of Al-Birbara region, caza Jbeil.
-A draft-decree to shift a chief of department in the cadre of the Ministry of Social Affairs to the Central Inspection body, in the post of inspector assistant.
-Draft-decrees concerning the organization of water sectors.
-A draft-decree to allow an increase in the investment factor in a hotel building in Broummana.
-A draft-decree to exempt shrubs offered by the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture to Lebanese one, from customs charges.
-A draft-decree to grant the municipality of Baalbeck a treasury loan of 500 million L.P.
-A draft- decree to allow a civilian employee of the Army to retire.
-A draft-decree to cease the function of an employee in the cadre of the Ministry of Agriculture.
-A draft-decree to cease the function of a female employee in the cadre of the Ministry Agriculture.
-A draft-decree to cease the function of a general director of the cooperative of the state employees, for reaching the legal age.
-A draft-decree to dismiss an inspector of administration, for health reasons.
-A draft-decree to nominate editors within general departments.
-A draft-decree to discharge the director of the Barouk water Office, to nominate him a member of the board of directors of the Office, and to nominate a new director.
-A draft-decree to set a new order for taking employees into service within the Ministry of Housing and cooperatives.
-A draft-decree to render the Lebanese citizenship to Mr. Maroun El-Hallal.
-A draft-decree concerning the contribution of successful students in the Science Faculty, the Lebanese University, first year, biology section.
-The request by the Ministry of Finance to transmit a credit of 1410 000000 L.P. to compensate some of the owners of realestates where the U.N.I.F.L. is located.
-The request by the Ministry of Finance to accept selling a piece of land owned by the state, in Tyre.
-To shift the 1st degree functionaries who spent 3 years in their posts.
-The request by the Ministry of Finance to accept the ratification of decision, taken by the High Council of Customs, on October 26th 1996.
-The request by the Ministry of Finance to ratify decision n"43, taken by the High Council of Customs, on June 29th 1996.
-The request made by the Ministry of Finance to accept receiving gifts offered to it.
-The request by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce to accept attending the Arab Regional Symposium in Damascus by W.A.I.P.O.
-The request by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce to allow the board of directors of Rashid Karameh Exhibition to conclude a contract with Mr. Ahmed Moqbel Malek.
-The request made by the Ministry of National Defense to grant a financial aid to the family of an Army Martyr (Nachat Hammoud)
-The request by the Ministry of Interior affairs to settle the issue of giving a license for Adrochan Ovik Jamakian-Bourj Hammoud, to trade in hunting guns and munitions.
-The request by the Ministry of Interior Affairs to accept receiving a gift of Telecommunications apparatus offered to the general directorate of the police forces.
-The request made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon to contribute in the technical committee charged with the setting of a draft-agreement to make the Middle East region without total destruction weapons, to be held in Cairo, on December 17th and 18th 1996.
-The request made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon regarding invitation to the conference of foreign Ministers of countries members in the Islamic Conference Organization.
-Adopting decisions taken by previous governments.
A Chinese delegation, including the vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gee Ding, visited yesterday the Prime Minister, Mr. Rafiq Al-Hariri and the general secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassador Zafer El-Hassan.
The chinese vice- Minister declared after meeting with president Al-Hariri, that China would offer a loan of 500 million yuan, interests dropped, to Lebanon, while, after visiting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said his country supported the peace process in the region, and wouldn't admit any modification in the Principle of land for peace. The Chinese vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs said, on the other hand, his country wouldn't take part directly in the Conference of Lebanon Friends but supported all efforts aiming at reinforcing the development and reconstruction process.
Continuing his meeting to Lebanese officials, in the aim of preparing the Conference of Lebanon Friends, the American ambassador in Beirut, Mr. Richard Jones, visited yesterday the vice-president of the parliament, deputy Elie El-Ferzli, and discussed various current issues. Jones also met with the Minister of Transport, Mr. Omar Mesqawi. Jones declared the Lebanese government would present projects of about 5 billion dollars, to be carried through 7 years, adding his government couldn't engage in such sum before adopting the annual budget.
The Parliamentary committee for administration and Justice held yesterday its first meeting, headed by deputy Chaker Abou Soleiman, and decided the next meeting agenda would include a motion to redeem the immunity of the Civil Service Council, and the Central Inspection Body, thus preparing the road for the government to launch administrative reform.
* The ex-President of the Republic, Sheikh Amin Jemayel, praised the French supporting role for Lebanon in the international scenes, and reaffirmed the necessity of such a backup.
*The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Mr. john Obeid, received in his office within the Ministry a delegation of the National UNESCO Committee, and discussed with them educational matters. He was then joined by deputies Ghassan El-Ashkar, Elie Skaf, Mansour El-Bon, and Fayez Ghosn.
*The Governor of Caza Kesrouan-El-Ftouh, Mr. Raymond Hatti, declared non-authorized advertising panels which still violate the decree n"8861 published in July 1996, would be eliminated today, reaffirming that he wouldn't allow disorganization.
The first international championship bow and arrow championship, organized by the Lebanese federation of bow and arrow, with the participation of teams from France and Cyprus ended yesterday. The French team ranked first, followed by the Lebanese one, and then the team of Cyprus.
The Lebanese Basketball Association held, on Sunday December 1st 1996, its annual assembly, at Mont-La-Salle, and discussed, among others, the classification cup, 1997 activities, nominating committees, reviewing previous decisions and setting the financial order concerning the games income from ticket-selling.
1 US Dollar = 1553,75 L.P.
Currency---------- Buying ----------Selling
Syrian Pound ------34,50 ---------- 38,50
Iraqi Dinar---------51--------------- 50
Kuwait Dinar ------5201,75 -------- 5205,75
Jordanian Dinar ----2187,10 -------- 2191,50
Bahreini Dinar ------4117,20-------- 4121,25
Emirates Dirham ---421,30 -------- 425,80
Saudi Riyal ----------412,10 -------- 416,30
Omani Riyal ---------41,50 ---------- 42,75
Qatari Riyal --------424,70 ----------428,70
Egyptian Pound ----456,50 ----------460,50
English Pound ------2602,10 --------2606,52
Dutch Mark --------1011,18 ------- 1013,82
Netherlands ---------901,10 ---------905,30
French Franc --------297,10 ---------298,39
Swiss Franc ---------1192,01-------- 1197,69
Belgium Franc --------49,10 ---------- 49,16
Denmark Coronne ---262,50 ---------267,13
Sweden Coronne ----231,10 ---------332,05
Spanish Peseta ------10,30 ---------- 10,37
Turkish Pound ------0,3580 -------- 0,4590
Cyprus Pound -------3335,10 -------3338,23
1000 Italian Lira -----998 -----------1003
1000 African Franc --480,50 -------- 489,40
1000 Japanese Yen --13080,50 ------13084,60
Canadian Dollar ------1148,10 -------1150,84
Australian Dollar ------1266,10 ------ 1273,76
Back to Lebanon.com Local News Wire