President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, met with the Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Bou Saab on Thursday at the Presidential Palace.
Bou Saab asserted that the information issued in the media related to the demarcation of the southern maritime borders contradicts the official position that Lebanon is informed on the matter.
Bou Saab also stressed that the US mediator Amos Hochstein is keen to continue his efforts based on the results of the last meeting he held with the President of the Republic, the Speaker of the Parliament, and the Prime Minister at the Presidential Palace on the first of this August.
"The time for negotiations is not open to infinity. The closer we get to the month of September, the more critical time becomes in this file. To preserve stability, things must end before September," Deputy Speaker Bou Saab said.
Moreover, Deputy Speaker Bou Saab revealed that he understood from the President that he is close to completing the study of the banking secrecy law submitted to him by the Parliament, and that he will sign it soon.
Regarding the investigation file regarding the explosion of Beirut port, Bou Saab pointed out that "We are waiting between today and tomorrow for the issuance of a decree to form the General Authority of the Court of Cassation by the Supreme Judicial Council, after which the investigation will take its course again".
"But what we cannot understand, and we hope will not happen, is that the new decree will not be issued. Then, we will have question marks about the identity of the obstructionist, and what are the reasons," the Deputy Parliament Speaker added.
After the meeting, Deputy Speaker Bou Saab made the following statement:
"I met with His Excellency the President and tackled with him current affairs, including the demarcation of southern maritime borders, latest developments that constitute an obstacle to the investigation of the port explosion, and the laws being studied in Parliament and required by the IMF".
President Aoun also met with the Minister of the Displaced, Issam Charafeddine, and discussed with him ministerial affairs and the issue of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
After the meeting, Minister Charafeddine made the following statement:
"I was pleased today to visit the President of the Republic and to discuss with him the file of the return of the displaced Syrians to their country, and my expected visit to Syria at the end of this week, on Sunday and Monday.
"I was encouraged and blessed by His Excellency because this issue is vital and humanitarian and has economic necessities in light of what Lebanon is suffering from. By God, we will have positive results by the next Monday and Tuesday, especially as the concerned Syrian bodies extend their hand for cooperation, and there are preparations for the success of the meetings, and a working paper that includes a complete return map and the idea of establishing a quartet committee from the Lebanese state that coordinates and follows up with the committee in Syria, and I am very optimistic".
President Aoun later met with the President of the Lebanese Cultural University in the world, Dr. Nabih Chartouni, at the head of a delegation from the university that included Mr. Georges Abi Raad (from France) and Mr. Chawki Al-Hajj (from Africa).
The delegation was accompanied by Father Elie Nasr and retired Brigadier General Noha Chartouni. Dr. Chartouni invited President Aoun to attend the "First Expatriate Economic Conference for Lebanon", which will be held on Thursday, August 18, at the Holy Spirit University in Kaslik.
The President of the University explained that the number of participants in the conference is about 120 Lebanese expatriates in Europe, Africa, and the Americas, most of whom are businessmen and industrialists, and that the aim of holding it in Lebanon is to encourage expatriate businessmen to invest in it, especially in the fields of industry, agriculture, and tourism.
For his part, President Aoun wished the conference success, stressing the importance of the role that those deployed abroad play in helping their family members at home, especially in the difficult circumstances that Lebanon is going through.
The President then honored the sports champion Rita Abou Jaoudeh, in the presence of his advisor for youth and sports affairs, and President of the Lebanese Fencing Federation Mr. Jihad Salameh.
Abou Jaoudeh had achieved exceptional local and international results in fencing.
The President also honored the young Sandra Antoine Sukkar, who was ranked as a world champion in the MMA mixed martial arts game, in a final which took place in Amsterdam on March 29, where she ranked first and won the gold medal.
President Aoun awarded both sports champions the Lebanese Silver Medal of Merit in recognition of their victory and raising Lebanon's name high in the sports field.
The honoring ceremony was attended by Rita Abu Jaoudeh's father, retired Brigadier General Elias Abou Jaoudeh, her brother Joseph, her husband Jimmy, her father-in-law Edward Abou Jaoudeh, and her coach Suhail Ayoub. Sandra's coach Mr. Mikhail Amer and the sponsor of her activities Mr. Kamal Bkassini also attended.
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