NNA - Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, received today in Bkirki Telecommunications Minister, Engineer Charles al-Hajj, who said following the meeting, "I was honored to visit His Beatitude at the beginning of my ministerial duties, seeking blessings and spiritual and national support for the difficult rescue process and to benefit from the available opportunities to restore Lebanon's role and position."

In response to a question about his optimism regarding the possibility of transforming the Ministry of Telecommunications within two years to become the backbone of the Lebanese economy, he said: “We will certainly follow a work plan because up until now we have not been able to review all the matters, projects and plans set in the ministry, and after gaining confidence in a very short period that may not exceed three weeks, we will have reviewed all matters.”

Al-Hajj pointed to the telecommunications law implementation and appointing a regulatory authority as being priority steps at this stage, while also making the necessary investments to improve the communications situation based on the principle of good service and prices.

Regarding positive neutrality, al-Hajj considered that the Patriarch has the right to demand positive neutrality, calling for realizing the interest of our country and standing by our Arab brothers when they agree and being neutral when they disagree. "I believe that every time Lebanon followed this principle, it lived in stability, and every time it did not respect this principle, the situation was shaken," he added.

He concluded by stressing that the Lebanese, even before the establishment of the state of Greater Lebanon, were at the heart of the Arab world and bearers of its causes, adding that this should be restored.

==========R.Sh.