NNA - President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, on Tuesday followed up on the ongoing contacts to address the developments that took place after the maritime movements undertaken by the Energean Power liquefied natural gas production unit ship off the disputed maritime border area.

In this context, the American mediator in the indirect negotiations to demarcate the southern maritime border, Amos Hochstein, will arrive in Beirut at the end of this week or the beginning of next week, at the request of the Lebanese side to discuss completing the negotiations to demarcate the maritime border and work to end it as soon as possible.

President Aoun had also received reports from the army command about the ship's movements off the maritime border area.

Justice Minister:
President Aoun met Justice Minister, Henry Khoury, and discussed with him general developments, the work of the courts, and issues related to the Ministry of Justice.

Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UNITAR:
The President received the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Mr. Nikhil Seth, and the individual in charge of the Multilateral Diplomacy Department at the Institute, Mr. Rabih Al-Haddad.

The President was briefed on the Institute’s activities and courses that it organizes in a number of countries around the world, and the two training workshops on commercial diplomacy for diplomats working in Lebanon that are held in Beirut in cooperation with ESCWA.  

Mr. Seth expressed the institute's desire to enhance its work in Lebanon and respond to the requests submitted by the Lebanese state within the framework of its needs, pointing out that the institute has 270 types of training, studies and courses that cover all areas of life and the needs of countries.

Mr. Seth pointed out that Lebanon is interested in training courses in the areas of enhancing skills in the field of communication and negotiation, as work units were sent from the Institute to Beirut to cooperate with the Lebanese government, especially in the areas of development and training.

For his part, President Aoun welcomed Mr. Seth, wishing him success in his visit to Lebanon, expressing his appreciation for what the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) has been doing for nearly 60 years and the importance it represents as a training arm of the United Nations in developing countries in particular, in addition to the importance of the fields and topics in which training is conducted.  

President Aoun also stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation with the Institute, pointing out that Lebanon needs in particular to increase awareness and training in the field of corruption, given the need to combat this dangerous scourge on societies and fortify official administrations.  

Moreover, the President referred to Lebanon's reliance on the existing partnership with the United Nations at all levels to recover and re-establish, especially after a series of unprecedented crises it was exposed to.  

Finally, President Aoun commended the role played by Mr. Al-Haddad in spreading the goals of the Institute and its pioneering role.

Honoring the late Masoud Al-Ashqar:
President Aoun honored the late Masoud al-Ashqar by awarding him the National Order of the Cedar at the rank of Knight, which he handed to his widow, Mrs. Greta al-Ashqar.
President Aoun had met Mes. Ashqar in the presence of the Maronite Archbishop of Beirut, Bishop Boulos Abdel Sater, and a number of family members and friends of the late.

The Director General of Protocol and Public Relations at the Presidency of the Republic, Dr. Nabil Shdeed, gave a speech in which he enumerated the deeds of the deceased and said:

“A year and a half after the death of Masoud al-Ashqar, we meet at the Lebanese house, to say a word of loyalty and appreciation to one of the honorable people in Lebanon. When we say Masoud al-Ashqar, people gather and descriptions are spontaneously in the minds of the Lebanese.
He is the fighter and the solid guard in times of war. He loved Beirut, he loved Ashrafieh and its people and what it represents, until his name sticks to its name.
He is the patriot at a time when interests abounded and values, cleanliness, and a sense of belonging to a land and identity diminished.  
He is the defender of legitimacy in Lebanon, the message of coexistence, and the unity of the land and the people.  
He is a human being in peacetime, humble and ascetic in positions until he disappears from the political scene.  
But he never disappeared from his family in Ashrafieh, their homes, their needs, their joys and their sorrows.  
He is respected among his acquaintances, and respected among those who are far from his political line.  
He never fawned over a goal or position, and he only sided with a free and independent homeland.  
To this country, he pledged his entire life, so he deserved all the love from everyone, and the pride of his family, acquaintances and friends”.

Dr. Shdeed then addressed the widow of the deceased, Mrs. Greta Masoud Al-Ashqar, saying: "The date of honoring your late husband was delayed due to the circumstances of the "Corona" pandemic, which transported him from this land to the arms of God.  
For his patriotism and his humanitarian, moral, political and patriotic journey, he was awarded the National Order of the Cedar at the rank of Knight. I assert that his memory will remain alive in the conscience of his country, along with the flock of honorable and patriots who gave their lives for Lebanon to live”.

For her part, Mrs. Al-Ashqar responded with a speech in which she said: “The family of the late Masoud Al-Ashqar is attending with his friends to receive the Cedar Medal in honor of the march for which Masoud devoted his life, which is serving the country and the people and the struggle for the cause, and it is true that Masoud was not an elected representative of the people, but he was chosen representative of the people, relentlessly responding to their rightful needs and requests.

He never left people, dropping all distances with them, until he devotes his time and activity almost completely to them.
Indeed, for decades, Masoud did not hesitate to make huge sacrifices with courage and faith, in adherence to values and principles.  
And the case, which undoubtedly was the gateway to friendship with your Excellency for nearly forty years, a friendship that Massoud cherished with all care and sincerity.
This medal is not the first honor you give to the late Massoud, but was preceded by your Excellency’s initiative to ask the Beirut municipality to name a street after Massoud Al-Ashqar.  
And you kindly followed up on the matter, so that this could be achieved on the ground. In our turn, we cannot but express to Your Excellency our sincere thanks and appreciation, wishing you continued health and long life”.

President Aoun:
President Aoun welcomed Archbishop Abdel Sater and family members and friends, recalling the times that brought him together with the late Masoud al-Ashqar, especially during the civil war and the difficult days that Lebanon and the Lebanese lived through.  
The President praised the qualities that the late had, especially courage, loyalty to his friends and love for the homeland.  
"We cherished his friendship that remained between us for the last day of his life, because he was a loving and loyal man” President Aoun concluded.

Election Congratulations:
President Aoun received congratulatory telegrams on the occasion of the parliamentary elections, including a cable from Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanim.—Presidency Press Office 

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