Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri today arrived in Cairo on the first leg of a regional tour aimed at explaining Lebanon's position regarding the unconditional implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 425 and in light of recent Israeli proposals in this regard. Hariri was received at the airport by his Egyptian counterpart Kamal Al-Janzouri. He later headed for a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Discussions centered on the recent Israeli offer on 425 and current developments in the Middle East Peace Process. Later today, Hariri is expected to conduct a dialogue session with Egyptian students at the University of Cairo. He will also meet the Secretary General of the Arab League Ismat Abdel Majid. During his official visit to Egypt, the Lebanese premier will hold talks with his counterpart Kamal Al-Janzouri, Foreign Minister Amro Moussa and a number of high-ranking Egyptian officials. He is also scheduled to give a number of interviews to local and satellite TV channels in Cairo.
President Elias Al-Hrawi today voiced from Baabda Lebanon's official stance regarding the implementation of Resolution 425 during a meeting he held at the presidential palace with a delegation of participants in the International Media Symposium for Solidarity with Lebanon. Hrawi called on Arab Media networks to take part in an international campaign aimed at highlighting the necessity of implementing Resolution 425. Hrawi also explained the nature of the Lebanese crisis and the amount of sacrifices that the Lebanese have given and are giving on behalf of the whole Arab nation. President Hrawi later received a delegation from the International Organization of Property Rights headed by Dr. Kamel Idriss and accompanied by Minister of Trade and Industry Yassin Jaber. The delegation briefed Hrawi on the scheduled agenda of the conference on property rights which opened today in Beirut. The president also held talks today with deputy Boutrous Harb.
Israel today shelled the outskirts of the Southern village of Shakra. The shelling caused damage in a civilian home belonging to Raef Al-Amin. Israeli shells also fell late last night on the Southern village of Qabrikha in the central sector of the zone Israel occupies. Four civilian houses were damaged. A UNIFIL base in the village was also hit during the attack. A UNIFIL source said no casualties were scored in the village.
Meanwhile, the resistance in the South attacked the Israeli outposts in Qantara and Blat this morning. The resistance said it scored direct hits in the operations. In another development, the five-nation cease-fire monitoring group prepares to meet next Thursday to look into five complaints, two Lebanese and three Israeli, over alleged truce violations.
The follow-up committee for Lebanese detainees in Israeli jails headed by Mohammed Safa today held the weekly sit-in in front of the headquarters of the International Red Cross in Beirut. Families of Lebanese prisoners converged on the occasion of April, 21, the day of solidarity with Syrian detainees from the Golan heights in Israeli jails. A statement was distributed by the follow-up committee explaining the harsh treatment that Syrian and many Arab and Palestinian prisoners are subject to in these jails. The committee also distributed information sheets including their names and the places of their detention.
Agriculture Minister Shawki Fakhoury today announced the terms of the agricultural accord signed with France earlier this month. Fakhoury was speaking during a joint press conference he held with the French ambassador to Lebanon Daniel Jouanneau. Fakhoury stressed the importance of the agreement in boosting the agriculture sector in Lebanon. He also said the agreement is the first of its kind between Lebanon and France adding that it helps enforce bilateral technical and scientific cooperation to develop agricultural products and enhance the exchange of information and organizing training sessions between the two countries. For his part, the French ambassador stressed cooperation will continue between Lebanon and France on all levels in a bid to contribute to Lebanon's economic revival plan. He also revealed that a French delegation will come to Lebanon soon to discuss the possibility of launching joint projects on the agricultural levels.
A press conference was held today at the headquarters of the Economic and Social Committee of West Asia (ESCWA) to announce that a meeting will soon be held to prepare for the second Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization. The conference will take place on April 23 and 24 at the headquarters of ESCWA in the downtown area of the capital. It will be held under the patronage of Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri. The meeting will be organized by ESCWA, UNDP and other UN organizations in coordination with the Lebanese Ministry of Trade and Economy. Speakers will discuss economic policies in participant countries and future plans of the World Trade Organization.
The Arab and International Conference on Intellectual Property Rights was opened today in Beirut by Minister of Trade and Economy Yassin Jaber representing Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri. Participants called on the protection of the rights of innovators and the registration of their inventions in all fields of creation. The opening session was also attended by the general director of the International Organization for Property Rights, Dr. Kamel Idriss and a number of intellectual, social, diplomatic and political figures in the country. The conference is organized by the International Organization for Property Rights, the Lebanese Ministry of Trade and Industry and Al-Iktisad Wal Aamal Group. Lectures will be given on the protection of intellectual property rights and the influence of laws organizing intellectual property rights on production sectors in Lebanon. Jaber called on the Lebanese industrialists, publishers, authors and computer programmers to register their innovations in a bid to ensure their protection nationally and internationally.
A recycling plan was lately launched in the country by a group of environmentalists aimed at cleaning up remote villages by distributing cardboard bins, thus encouraging residents of these areas to recycle their waste. The campaign will also help promote waste reduction and recycling on sight. Different recycling bins are specialized for separating plastic, steel, and paper. Each bin costs 1000 L.L. The campaign is one among many in the country which aim at raising more awareness among the Lebanese of the necessity of recycling as a way to solve the waste problem in the country.
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