Yesterday, the President of the Republic, Mr Elias Al-Hrawi received the Emigration Minister, Mr Anwar Al-Khalil, who informed him about the results of his visit to South African countries.
Al-Khalil declared that talks concerned especially the Lebanese Emigrants in Angola, where some of them were arrested and banned. It seemed, however, that this campaign was against all Emigrants. He added that about 56 Lebanese were arrested and banned, then they were all, but one person, released Al-Khalil assured that Lebanese Emigrants are able to establish a Lebanese Lobby, in order to support the Lebanese and Arab cases.
He also stated that the Lebanese government helped the Emigrants in their problems, especially in Angola, Sirallion, and Liberia where three planes carried people out of the conflict region.
The Prime Minister, Mr Rafiq Al-Hariri, visited yesterday in Baabda, the President of the Republic, Mr Elias Al-Hrawi. He was accompanied by the Minister of Information, Farid Mokary.
Then he went to Bkerkeh, where he arrived at 10:30 A.M. He was first received by the general secretary of the Patriarch, Mr Michel Awit, the member of Christian-Islamic dialogue committee, Mr Hareth Chehab, the director of the Catholic center for Information, Father Antoine Ajmayyel, besides the director of the "Voice of Charity" Father Elie Nahhoul.
Then, on the building stairs, he was joined by the General Vice-Patriarch, Bishop Roland Abou Jaoudeh, and by Bishop Boulos Matter.
The Maronite Patriarch Shook hands with President Al-Hariri, in the greal hall, where a swiss delegation was visiting Bkerkeh. After a break of ten minutes, President Al-Hariri and Cardinal Sfeir held a closed meeting in the latter office, and which lasted one hour.
The religious media issue was examined in this meeting, as well as other non-religious and non-authorized media, in addition to the information law. After the meeting, Sfeir thanked President Al-Hariri for whatever he will do to guarantee the freedom of media, as stipulated by the constitution.
President Al-Hariri said that he and the Patriarch were close friends, and that they would remain thus.
As for the media issue, he added that religious authorities would be responsible of religious broadcasting. Bkerkeh sources said that a certain measure would be taken by the Cabinet,concerning the Christian and Islamic Radio Stations, thus the Patriarchate would supervise christian media, Dar-Al-Fatwa its media and the High Shiite council its own.
At 1,45 P.M., President Al-Hariri and Minister Mokary visited Dar El-Fatwa, and met with the substitute of the republican Mufti, Cheikh Mohammad Rachid Qabbani .The latter described the meeting as fruitful, the allocated Islamic and Christian programs would each be supervised by religious authorities.
Qabbani also thanked the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Information for their efforts in this field.
Al-Hariri and Mokary then went to the High Shiite Council office, where they held a meeting with Al-Imam Mohammad Mahdi Shams Eddine, who accepted that broadcasting frequencies would be specified by the state, he also said he was ready to cooperate with the prime Minister and concerned Ministers to help serve each community faith, the state as well as the National Unity.
Yesterday afternoon, the Minister Walid Jounblat visited President Berreh at Ain Ettineh, accompanied by deputy Akram Cheheyyeb.
After the meeting, Jounblat declared he and President Berreh discussed the social and economical issues, he hoped the new government would have a social and economical perspectives, and would change its priorities.
Berreh then met with the Minister Fayez Choukr, and discussed with him various issues. Berreh was then joined by head of the Association of Islamic Projects, Houssam Qaraqireh, along with deputy Adnan Attraboulsy, who said the discussions were about the present situation and political issues, especially in the whole region.
Berreh also received the head of the Lebanese University, Dr Assad Diab and the Interior Minister, Vice-Prime Minister, Mr Michel Al-Murr, the latter said after the meeting that he reviewed with president Berreh all political and social issues, especially the media matter. Al-Murr also declared there was no trouble between the constitutional Council and the Ministry for documents to study the appeal made by deputy Habib Sadeq. Al-Murr pretexted these papers were asked for and sent them to the parliament, but soon, he added, they would be redeemed and given to the constitutional council.
The American ambassador in Lebanon, Mr. Richard Jones, visited yesterday, the Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri in the governmental palace and reviewed with him the arrangements of his trip to Washington.
He qualified the meeting as an important one, in which the president trip to Washington was examined, as well as the best time for the consulting committee to hold its meeting.
Jones also declared that the United States supported all kinds of freedom, especially that of expression, for in a free society, best ideas always win. He urged both the government and the people to work together, in order to conclude an accepted settlement.
Jones also expressed his concern about the dwindling number of media, which causes unemployment to increase.
The delegation of French Senate, headed by the president of the law committee Jack Larche, went yesterday to visit the parliament vice-president, Mr Elie Al-Ferezli and the Minister of Justice, Bahj Tabbara.
The second meeting was attended by French ambassador in Beirut, Jean -Pierre Lafond, the general director of Justice Ministry, Dr. Roger Khater and other members of the judicial committees.
Larche said the delegation was interested in the Ministry of Justice law mechanism, for it was clear that the Lebanese legislator had a creative mind he added that discussions included all legal issues.
Today starts the 39th Lebanese football series, in a match at 3:15 P.M. between Achabiba-Al-Mazraa and Chabab Assahel teams at the local stadium of Saidi.
The two teams of today's match had not played against each other in the previous series. Infact, Achabiba was then qualified as first degree club while Chabab Assahel was ranked 10th with 30 points.
The Lebanese team was about to beat Newzealand team, but the match ended in an equal result (1-1) . Two players of Annejmeh middle line joined the match, Raed Abou Annasr and Abd El-Hamid Kerkeh. It was Abou Annasr who passed the ball to Wartan who hit it straight into the goal.
The executive body of the Lebanese Olympic Committee held a meeting, which was headed by the president Mr Tony Khoury and attended by the two vice-presidents Mr Melih Odwan and Mr Ali Jarady, the treasurer Mr. Khalil Nahhas, the accountant Mr Tanios El-Murr, and the members , Foad Rustom, El-Hajj, Adnan Makki and Mohammad Chaker.
After holding a minute of silence in honour for the late Al-Hajj Abd Erraouf El-Qaysi, The general secretary of the Lebanese Olympic Committee, the executive body examined the agenda articles and took several decisions, among which.
A-To entrust the member Mr Mohammad Chaker of the General Secretary of the Lebanese Olympic Committee.
B-Write a minutes transferring the General Secretary office.
C-To send a consolation telegram in the name of the President of the Lebanese Olympic Committe to the head of the Lebanese Judo Federation, Mr Francois Saade, since his wife died.
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