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Hariri to pay another visit to Syria by end of month

BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri is scheduled to visit Syria by the end of the month after an official state visit to Germany this Saturday, Information Minister Tarek Mitri said following the Cabinet meeting Wednesday at the Grand Serail in Downtown Beirut.


During the Cabinet meeting, Hariri highlighted the need to reconsider the current Lebanese-Syrian agreements and suggest new ones when needed.


Hariri’s announced visit to Damascus came in response to recent media reports that relations between Hariri and Damascus have deteriorated lately as Saudi Arabia, a main backer of the parliamentary majority has attempted to bridge the gap between both sides.


The premier’s press office issued a statement earlier on Wednesday denying reports by Al-Akhbar daily claiming that Hariri’s adviser had told reporters during the premier’s visit to Kuwait that Hariri was not forced to respond to Syrian demands before Damascus fulfill its promises.


The statement added that many parties were harmed by the positive relations between Hariri and the Syrian president.


“The number of candidates who are harmed is expected to increase with every step of rapprochement between both countries,” the statement added.


Hariri praised the resumption of the National Dialogue and informed ministers about preparations for an upcoming meeting of the higher Lebanese-Jordanian joint committee.



For his part, Interior Minister Zyiad Baroud pointed to a drop in the crime rate as a result of cooperation between security institutions along with intensive security measures over all Lebanese territories.


On another note, the government approved the Higher Judiciary Council’s proposal to nominate two members among its ranks and appoint one additional member to the council.


“There were no appointments and some expressions may be confused; the Cabinet approved a proposal by the council to delegate judges for additional missions which is the Higher Judicial vouncil membership,” Mirti told reporters.


“There were some reservations but discussions did not take a long time,” he added.


Well-informed sources told The Daily Star that Free Patriotic Movement ministers expressed reservations over the issue.


The Cabinet also approved a plan to use $9 million saved in 2010, when the government halted fuel-oil subsidies, to buy energy efficient lamps for low-income families, subsidize solar water heaters and buy public lighting control equipment.


It also approved freezing the demolition of touristic buildings and the formation of a committee headed by the culture minister to speed up the ratification of a law to preserve environmental and touristic sites.