NNA - Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on Tuesday met at his ministerial office with TotalEnergies top officials, including Laurent Vivier, Senior Vice President of Middle East Exploration at TotalEnergies; Julien Pouget, Senior Vice President of Exploration and Production for Asia; and Romain de La Martinière, General Manager of TotalEnergies in Lebanon. 

In the wake of the meeting, which came following an inspection visit to the drilling rig in Block 9, Mikati said that the start of drilling works on August 24 constituted a ray of hope for the Lebanese. He further wished for a happy ending to the drilling process “to provide additional resources for Lebanon to help rise from the current crises.”

"Everyone should set personal interests and considerations aside and handle the project as an achievement that serves all the Lebanese alike, especially in its capacity as a fundamental pillar for the advancement of the national economy,” Mikati added. 

The Prime Minister separately met with Internal Security Forces’ Chief, Major General Imad Osman.

==========R.H.