NNA – Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on Wednesday chaired a meeting at the Grand Serail to discuss Syrian refugee affairs in Lebanon. Attendees included Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, Acting General Security Chief Major General Elias Baisari, UN Resident Coordinator Imran Riza, and UNHCR Representative Ivo Freijsen.
The meeting reviewed the plan developed by the General Directorate of Lebanon’s General Security to address the refugee issue in line with Lebanese regulations, international laws, and the 2003 Memorandum of Understanding between the General Security Directorate and the UNHCR’s Regional Office.
Following the meeting, Baisari stated, "We have again requested that the UNHCR provide us with complete data, under the threat of implementing 'Plan B,' which is ready and involves obtaining the data ourselves."
Prime Minister Mikati also received Qatari Ambassador to Lebanon, Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Faisal Al Thani, with whom he discussed political developments and bilateral relations.
Mikati also met with Norwegian Ambassador Martin Yttervik, who paid him a farewell visit.
The Prime Minister separately met with a delegation from the Parliamentary Economic Committee led by MP Farid Boustani, including MPs Waddah Sadek, Nasser Haidar, Amin Sherri, Razi Al-Hajj, and Nicolas Sehnaoui.
In the wake of the meeting, Boustani reported, "We’ve discussed several issues, particularly smuggling and customs. We received numerous reports from customs officials and conveyed their concerns to the Prime Minister. We decided to form a joint committee comprising the Economic Committee, customs representatives, and a representative from the Prime Minister's office. This committee will evaluate the situation and deliver recommendations. If we aim to maintain a free economy and competition, we must close illegal crossings. There was a strong emphasis on the importance of scanners, which are crucial for both import and export. We have faced issues with Gulf countries due to malfunctioning scanners, and this problem persists. The Prime Minister promised funding to support the purchase of scanners to resolve this matter."
Boustani also noted that discussions with the PM touched on the 'Nafaa' file. “We’ve established five principles to present to the Prime Minister, aiming for swift implementation. It's crucial for civilian employees, cleared of charges, to return due to their technical expertise, which security personnel lack. State revenue is essential, especially with the Parliament's approved fee increases. Funds must be legally managed, avoiding bribes. A fact-finding committee is investigating 'Inkript' and 'Nafaa' management. Operations in Saida and Zahle are smooth, but Dekwaneh's 'Nafaa' requires military management. Additionally, we discussed airport conditions, stressing its importance for tourism. The Economic Committee's first seminar in Deir El Qamar will develop a comprehensive economic vision,” Boustani explained.
Prime Minister Mikati also met with Fadi Alameh, Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.
"We discussed the situation in southern Lebanon and reports on damages from Israeli attacks. We also followed up on grants for refugees from confrontation villages in the south. Additionally, we addressed the issue of biometric passports for Lebanese expatriates, essential for their return during the summer season, as we received numerous complaints. Prime Minister Mikati assured that he would discuss the matter with Acting General Security Chief Major General Elias Bayssari to facilitate this process,” Alameh said on emerging.
Mikati also received President of the Association of Banks in Lebanon, Dr. Salim Sfeir, accompanied by the Chairman and General Manager of the Housing Bank, Antoine Habib. They reviewed the general developments in the country, particularly economic, banking, and financial conditions.
==================R.H.
