President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, met former Iraqi Prime Minister and head of the “National Coalition”, Dr. Iyad Allawi, today at the Presidential Palace.
Current regional developments, the current situation in Iraq and on-going endeavors to find appropriate solutions were deliberated in the meeting.
President Aoun and former PM Allawi also discussed the Lebanese-Iraqi bilateral relations and ways to enhance them at all levels, in addition to the need to organize economic cooperation between the two countries for the benefit of the two brotherly peoples.
Statement:
After the meeting, Premier Allawi made the following statement:
“I was honored to meet His Excellency the Lebanese President.
The meeting tackled some common concerns between us. I suggested that an Iraqi-Lebanese economic committee be formed to address the economic problems. Of course, there is a reciprocal effect between politics and the economy.
President Aoun’s response to the proposal was positive, and we will work in this direction. I will adopt this matter in Iraq, given the great similarity between the political situations in Lebanon and Iraq”.
Questions & Answers:
Question: Is there a near solution for the situation in Iraq?
Answer: “To this day, there is no solution, because of the commitment and unclear positions. But there is a candidate in the House of Representatives for prime minister in Iraq, Muhammad Al-Soudani, who is a capable and important brother, but I do not know if the Sadrist movement will support him. I suggested to all parties that an expanded national dialogue be held without a winner and a loser, and that a government be formed that would hold early elections, with integrity and transparency, and in accordance with new laws”.
Question: How would you describe the Lebanese-Iraqi cooperation, especially after your country provided Lebanon with oil?
Answer: “We all worked on the issue of oil, in addition to the issue of the Lebanese apple. I am one of those who worked on this file and adopted it, and I contacted the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, and the Minister of Oil, who played an important role in this aspect. I hope that this file will constitute the cornerstone for the formation of a joint and permanent economic committee between Iraq and Lebanon, because there is a similarity between the two situations in the two countries in addition to the ties of love that unite them”.
Secretary General of the Arab Lawyers Union:
The President met the Secretary-General of the Arab Lawyers Union, Mr. Mekkawi Benaissa, at the head of a delegation, on the occasion of the convening of the first session of this year for the Arab Lawyers Union under the title “For Arab solidarity with Lebanon in its crisis and confronting the ambitions and aggression of the Zionist enemy”.
The delegation included the head of the Egyptian Bar Association and the president of the Arab Lawyers Union, Mr. Abdel Halim Allam, the two Bar Associations in Tripoli, Marie Therese El Kawwal, and Beirut, Mr. Nader Kaspar, and representatives of the bar associations in Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Palestine, Morocco, Libya and Jordan.
Benaissa and Allam emphasized solidarity with the Lebanese people and standing by them to get out of their current crisis.
Then, Al-Kawwal indicated that the first session of the Federation for this year was held in the hospitality of Tripoli, “The city in which the Lebanese crises are manifested in their darkest forms”.
Al-Kawwal thanked President Aoun for receiving the delegation, considering it “A reason to hope that all crises will vanish”.
In addition, Al-Kawwal pointed out that the meeting sought to affirm the supremacy of truth and call for Arab solidarity, considering that, on the other hand, the supremacy of truth cannot be achieved while the courts are closed.
“As lawyers defending justice at the level of individuals and states, we declare our full support for the firm positions you are taking in defense of Lebanon’s right to its gas wealth, during indirect negotiations with an enemy who wants to steal the good things that God has entrusted to our sea” Al-Kawwal added.
President Aoun:
For his side, the President thanked the attendees for their solidarity initiative with Lebanon, which is going through the most difficult circumstances it has known in its contemporary history.
President Aoun considered that the convening of the first general session of the Arab Lawyers Union on Lebanese soil is an act of faith in it and in what it constitutes as a forum for its Arab brothers and for human civilizations in their diversity.
Moreover, President Aoun enumerated the crises that Lebanon faced in recent years, which led to the outbreak of a severe economic and financial crisis, and called on the Arab countries to stand by the Lebanese people and support them, so that they can cross the current tunnel.
Statement:
After the meeting, Professor Benaissa said:
“We came at this critical moment in Lebanon, to gather on its land, the meeting point of Arab and human civilizations, at the invitation of our brothers, the two heads of the Bar in Tripoli and Beirut, to announce to the whole world that we stand in solidarity with Lebanon in the financial crisis it is going through.
At the same time, let us cooperate with the two unions in the person of Mr. Kaspar and Mrs. Al-Kawwal in the scheme they prepared in order to remove injustice and suffering from the country, expressing the hope that this crisis will be circumstantial, and that Lebanon will emerge from it with the cooperation of all”.
Then Mr. Allam said:
“We came in light of the current crisis and severe economic conditions, with a generous invitation from the two unions to study it and contribute to solving it. We provide full support and express our active participation in resolving all legal and constitutional files related to the judicial issue that lead to a way out of the crisis. I call on all Arab leaders and rulers to support Lebanon to reach a solution to all its problems”, expressing the support and backing of the Lebanese government and the Lebanese people to get out of their depression.
After that, Captain Kaspar welcomed the delegation back to Lebanon, stressing that its people were helpless, “And that is why we asked you, as the Syndicate of Right, Public Freedoms and Human Rights, to help Lebanon with your governments, considering that your voice is heard in your countries due to the importance of your representation”.
Kaspar also noted the response shown by the Heads of Barr associations and the Secretary-General and president of the union.
Finally, Kawwal concluded praised the meeting of the Arab heads of Barr in Lebanon, stressing that the two unions carried the delegation a message requesting Arab support for Lebanon.
Al-Kawwal said: “The motto of the union is truth and Arabism, and they are complementary, so if the truth is sick in a country, all other Arab countries are in pain, so the meeting formed an Arab stand with Lebanon that came at its right time”.
Former Minister Al-Daher:
Then President Aoun received former Minister and MP Mikhael Daher and tackled with himcurrent political and economic developments.
Monsignor Kiwan and Father Abu Kassem:
President Aoun met Monsignor Maroun Kiwan and Father Abdo Abu Kasm.
Monsignor Kiwan and Father Abou Kasmconveyed to President Aoun the funeral of the former Maronite Archbishop of Sidon and Deir al-Qamar, Archbishop Tanios Khoury.
The funeral prayer for his comfort will be held at 2:00 pm tomorrow, Friday, at St Elias Cathedral in Sidon. Afterwards, his body will be taken to his hometown of Saghbine in the western Bekaa, where he will be buried.
Source: National News Agency