News from Beirut September 15  1998 ...Search Lebanon.com

Email your presidential candidates. Member of parliament Boutros Harb said he would run in Lebanon's presidential elections planned for October. You can contact him using E-mail : BoutrosHarb@Lebanon.com or read about his Personal Biography, Political Life and candidacy speech.

Hrawi meets Hariri this evening

President Elias Al-Hrawi is expected to hold talks later today with Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri at the presidential palace in Baabda. Discussions will tackle a number of local and regional issues. The two leaders will also discuss the upcoming presidential elections and any possible amendment of Article 49 of the constitution, which enables Rank 1 government employees to run for candidacy. The meeting will also focus on the 53  clauses due to be discussed tomorrow during cabinet's weekly session.

Hariri last night arrived from a private visit to Paris. Sources close to the premier today said Army Leader Emile Lahhoud is scheduled to meet Hariri tonight to discuss recent developments in South Lebanon.

Presidential elections top meetings at Baabda today

President Elias Al-Hrawi was today quoted by his visitors as reiterating his insistence on building the country on a civil and nonsectarian basis. Hrawi reportedly added the election of a president directly by the people would reinforce the democratic system on national grounds. The president was also quoted as saying he supports any kind of change that serves this purpose, especially that our land in South Lebanon and the Western Bekaa is still occupied by an aggressive enemy, he added.

Hrawi this morning met deputies Marwan Faris, Elias Al-Khazen, and Elie Skaff. Skaff reiterated his opposition for any extension or renewal of the current mandate. He added the next head of state must be a man of principles.

Prince of Monaco holds talks with top Lebanese leaders

Prince Albert of Monaco at noon held talks with President Elias Al-Hrawi at Baabda who also hosted a lunch in his honor. Also at Baabda, the Prince met Army General Emile Lahhoud and a number of high-ranking army officials. The Prince earlier met House Speaker Nabih Berri accompanied by Monaco's Prime Minister and Deputy Nabil Boustani. Monaco's Prince also toured today the downtown area in Beirut. He is later expected to meet the French Ambassador to Lebanon, Daniel Jouanneau, at the newly constructed Pine Palace.

Agriculture Minister Shawki Fakhoury will tonight host a dinner in the Prince's honor at the Casino Du Liban. During his three-day visit to the country, Prince Albert will check progress on the reforestation of the Barouk cedars, which was funded by the principality.

Prince Albert stresses friendly ties with Lebanon

Prince Albert of Monaco started his meetings this morning by visiting Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri at the Grand Saray. Discussions focused on economic, financial, and cultural matters that are of interest to both countries. The Prince toured along with Hariri the newly reconstructed government house, expressing admiration for the architecture of the Grand Saray. The Prince later told reporters Monaco was willing to cooperate with Lebanon and work on boosting bilateral ties on all possible levels. He also reiterated friendly relations between the principality and Lebanon.

Monaco's Prince added he discussed with the premier the possibility of Lebanon's participation in the meeting of Francophone Finance Ministers due to be held in the principality next April.

Berri receives letter from head of National Sudanese Council

House Speaker Nabih Berri today received a message from the head of the National Sudanese Council, Dr. Hassan Al-Tourabi concerning the recent US attack on a medicine factory in his country. The message was delivered by Sudan's ambassador to Lebanon, Mustafa Abdel Hamid Kaber Rafik. The house speaker reiterated the Lebanese Parliament's condemnation of such an offensive that targeted a humanitarian institution. Berri also today held talks with Chile's ambassador to Lebanon on issues related to bilateral relations between the two countries.

Monitoring group meets over three complaints

The April Understanding panel today met at the UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqoura to look into three complaints filed by Lebanon and Israel over violations of the truce agreement. Lebanon filed its complaint over Israeli shelling of the villages of Zellaya, Libbaya and Marj Al-Zohour in the Western Bekaa Valley. The attacks injured two Lebanese civilians and damaged 19 houses in the area. For its part, Israel lodged two complaints over alleged resistance attacks launched on Israeli outposts from civilian areas in Qabreekha in the central sector of the occupied zone and the village of Jbaa in Iqlim Al-Touffah. Today's session is the 23rd meeting of the monitoring group since the beginning of this year. 15 Lebanese were killed and 85 wounded in Israeli attacks during this period.

Al-Thawra interviews Lebanese officials on Israeli-Turkish alliance

The Syrian daily Al-Thawra conducted interviews with a number of Lebanese officials and party leaders concerning the threat of the recent Israeli-Turkish alliance. Among the interviewees was former Prime Minister Amin Al-Hafez who said the alliance comes under the framework of a strategic Zionist-American plan that aims at oppressing the Arabs and forcing them to accept Zionist proposals regarding South Lebanon and the Golan Heights. Al-Hafez added such an alliance is destined to fail as long as Syria and the Arab nation stand firm against these plans.

Green Peace ship arrives in Beirut on an environment tour

A Green Peace ship today arrived in the port of Jounieh on an environment tour in Lebanon and the region carrying some 20 volunteers from different countries in the world. Lebanon's Environment Minister Akram Shhayeb held a press conference this morning on board the ship. Shhayyeb was delivered a petition by Green Peace Lebanon Representative Fouad Hamdan, calling on the government to shut down all waste incinerators and stop all landfilling operations of hazardous and toxic waste. Hamdan also reiterated his call for a plan to encourage the separation and recycling of household waste.

Hospital waste was also the center of discussions during the press conference. Green Peace believes this visit will increase environmental public awareness among the Lebanese. The ship is expected to visit the Southern ports of Sidon and Tyre before sailing to Cyprus on Monday.


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