NNA - President Michel Sleiman addressed on Tuesday those who were blasting Lebanon's disassociation policy and said that this policy, which is embodied in Baabda Declaration, is a source of pride to Lebanon.



"No one should criticize our plan of action," he said.



Sleiman spoke today during the inauguration of the first stage of the Beirut Container Terminal Consortium (BCTC) rehabilitation works.


The event was attended by Caretaker Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi as well as other Lebanese Ministers and officials.



The President made clear that the New York meeting will bear positive upshots on Lebanon, but it might take a while.



He believed that the importance of supporting Lebanon was never solely aimed at the support for Syrian refugees, but it was by the International Group's recognition of its rights to compensation for Syria crisis' losses.



With reference to the Lebanese internal affairs, Sleiman put emphasis on the need of respecting the presidential deadline as well as constitutional dates.



He called for preserving the institutions, protecting them from corruption, and urged speeding up the government formation and bringing back the Parliament to life.



As for his part, Aridi said that the presence of the government to serve the people was proven in Beirut as across all Lebanon.



"This government does not assault the maritime or public properties, but it it serves its citizens by justice and law and balanced development," he affirmed.



He thanked the President as well as all those who contributed to this project's success and called for further cooperation to face all challenges and keep moving forward.



===================L.W.