News from Beirut October 17  1996


Al Hrawi asked the government to conduct matters.

The President of the Republic, Mr. Elias Al-Hrawi, asked yesterday the government to continue conduct public matters, till a new government would be constituted.

The Presidency of the Republic stated the following :

According to the 69th article of the constitution, the government is considered resigned. With the beginning of new parliament period on Wednesday October 16th 1996, the President of the Republic thanked the Prime Minister and the Ministers for their cooperative efforts and asked the government to continue conduct public matters, till a new government is constituted.

Al-Hrawi met yesterday with Minister Michel El-Murr, deputies John Obeid, Mosbah Al-Ahdab, Chaker Abou Soleiman and ambassador Soleiman Farah.

Berreh met with Al-Asad and Khaddam.

Yesterday, the head of the Parliament, Mr Nabih Berreh had talks in Damascus with Syrian officials. He met the Syrian President, Hafez Al-Asad during 3 hours and discussed with him the regional situation  in Palestine and in the south, as well as the Lebanese state-of-things . Berreh had Lunch with the Syrian vice-president, Abd El-Halim Khaddam.

Back to Beirut, President Berreh visited Baabda and informed President Al-Hrawi of the results of his meetings.

Jounblat: I represent a Political point of view.

Yesterday, during an interview by the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation the head of the Socialist Progressive Party, Minister of Dislodged People, Mr. Walid Jounblat criticized the present economic and social situation in the country with the number of people in need reaching 1 million. He asked the Prime Minister to review priorities and to separate politics from the administration.

Jounblat added he was responsible for the loss that occurred in the Ministry of Dislodged people, and claimed severe inspection of the dislodged fund as well as the council for the south and the Council of Development and Reconstruction.

Rejecting a controlled  and guided media, he described the Lebanese Radio Station as useless.

Mokhaiber: I am not surprised by the corruption

Answering the Prime Minister's last statement about corruption, the head of the republican bloc, Dr. Albert Mokhaiber said he was not surprised by the financial defalcation, but rather astounded by the counterfeiting of  last parliamentary elections.

He considered the present corruption scandals were nothing but to cover the false results of the last elections, where nobody was satisfied. In fact, the state intends to have everything under its control and by force.

It is less dangerous to steal money than to steal people's free will and to murder the growing sense of patriotism within our young generations.

Mokhaiber also attacked the Interior Ministry because of its reluctance in sending the required documents and lists to the constitutional council which has the power to supervise law and to deal with appeals.

Al-Hariri in Washington.

The scheduled program of  the Prime Minister Mr. Rafiq Al-Hariri visit to Washington is as follows :

-After arrival, he will visit the military basis of "Andrews", in Virginia near Washington.

- Then he will stay in the Four Season  hotel  near the White House where he will receive the French ambassador in the United States, as well as the Arab ambassadors in the United States (at 6:00 P.M, Washington time).

-Today at 9:00 A.M. (Washington time) on Thursday October 17th 1996, he will make a lecture in the Strategic and International Studies Center in Washington.

-At 10:50 A.M. (4:50 PM  Beirut time), Sonia Rozler will have a CNN- broadcasted interview with president Al-Hariri during a 25 minutes within the "World News Today" program.

-The same interview will be rebroadcasted again on CNN at 2:30 P.M., Washington time (8:30 P.M., Beirut time)

-At 11:30 A.M.(Washington time) he will meet with the American acting Minister of Finance, Lawrence Summers, in the Ministry of Finance.

-Then the Lebanese ambassador in Washington, Dr. Ryad Tabbara will have a banquet in honour of president Al-Hariri.

-At 3:00 P.M. (9:00 P.M., Beirut Time), the Prime Minister will meet the American Secretary of State, Mr. Warren Christopher.

-At 4:45 P.M., he will receive at the hotel, the general director of  Task Force For Lebanon, Mr. Tom Nassif.

- Christopher will give also a receiving party, at Blar House, in Al-Hariri's honour, where both officials will deliver speeches, before president Al-Hariri Leaves for Boston.

- On Friday, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Rafiq Al-Hariri's building, within the Management Academy at Boston University.

- Back to Washington, president Al-Hariri will meet, at the White House, at 3:30 P.M., with the American President Mr. Bill Clinton, during half an hour, after which Al-Hariri will make a statement.

- President Al-Hariri might receive the executive president of Boeing Mr. Phil Conrad, who asked to meet the Prime Minister.

- At 6:00 P.M., the Lebanese ambassador will organize at the Sheraton Hotel another receiving party in honour of President Al-Hariri which will be attended by a great number of American officials, Arab ambassadors, as well as high-ranking members of the Lebanese and Arab communities in Washington.

- At 9:00 A.M.(3:00 P.M., Beirut Time) on Saturday, the Prime Minister will hold a press conference in Andrews military basis before leaving on board of his private plane to Georgia and then to Beirut.

Issa El-Khoury asked deputies to elect the body of the bureau.

Yesterday was the first day of the new parliament period. The oldest deputy, Qabalan Issa El-Khoury, 83 years old, came to the parliamentary building to make the required arrangements in order to hold  a session on October 22nd 1996 during which a president, vice-president as well as members of the bureau would be elected. Deputy El-Khoury did not stay in president Berreh's office, but another office was put at his disposition by the acting general secretary of the parliament, Mr Adnan Daher.

El-Khoury declared he was not entitled to conduct matters, but president Berreh was.

As soon as he entered the building hall, deputy El-Khoury was received by the acting general secretary of the parliament, Mr Adnan Daher, the chief commander of parliamentary police, major Ahmed Assi, and the head of information department, Mr Mohammad Ballout.

AT 12:15, after holding a meeting with the acting general secretary, Mr Adnan Daher, and high-ranking members of staff, deputy Qabalan Issa El-Khoury stated the following :

"According to the 44th article of the constitution, the parliament will hold a session on Tuesday October 22nd 1996 at 11:00 A.M.  in order to elect the body of its bureau.I hope you'll be able to attend the session."

SPORTS

Lebanon Football Championship

In a match on Bourj Hammoud local stadium , Al-Ansar won over Al-Aka Ahli-Aley (2-1) in the additional time. In the next stage, Al-Ansar will run against Attadamoun, Tyre.

The Autumn International volleyball Tournament

Yesterday evening started the Autumn International Volleyball Tournament organized by Al-Bouchrieh Club, Lebanon champion, and Sporting Club-Ghazir on Fouad Chehab stadium in Jounieh.

Five teams are participating in this tournament, which lasts till October 20th 1996.

Al-Wehdah (Emirates), Al-Jahra (Kuwait), Damascus team (Syria), in addition to Al-Bouchrieh and Ghazir (Lebanon).

The opening ceremony was attended by many sports officials, among which the head of the Lebanese Federation of Volleyball, Chehadeh El-Qassouf and the federation members.

The first match was held between Damascus team and Al-Wehdah-Emirates, and lasted more than 2 hours.

Even after winning the first two sets, Al-Wehdah players were unable to drive back the Syrian players who at the end won over their rivals.The match was run by the international referee Mr Emil Jabbour.

In the second match, Achabiba-Al-Bouchrieh found it easy to beat Al-Jahra-Kuwait. The match was run by the international referee, Mr Agnes Tayeh.


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