Mitri briefs media on results of cabinet session

Lebanon’s Information Minister Tarek Mitri briefed the media on the results of the cabinet session that was held at the Baabda Palace
- The cabinet has decided to postpone the discussion of the municipal Elections until Tuesday January 26
- The cabinet confirmed that state sovereignty is non negotiable and no Palestinian arms should be outside the camps. This was in reference to the statement of Abou Moussa , leader of Fatah al Intifada who said that he refuses to disarm outside the camp
- Prime Minister Saad Hariri briefed the cabinet on his recent trip to the UAE and said the UAE is ready to immediately start training the Lebanese helicopter pilots on the 10 planes that UAE donated to Lebanon. He also briefed the cabinet about the discussions he held with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who reportedly expressed an interest in visiting Beirut.

- President Suleiman discussed the need to set up a mechanism for appointments, and said the issue requires further discussion during another cabinet session.
Update:

Al Nahar sources have reported that the cabinet endorsed a “technical” 1-month postponement of the municipal elections, in addition to holding the elections over several days instead of one day only.

Information Minister Mitri briefed the press on cabinet meeting

Lebanon’s Information Minister Tarek Mitri briefed the press on the cabinet meeting that took place Monday at the Baabda palace

Mitri: Let us not fool ourselves when we say we are working toward abolishing political sectarianism

Minister of Information Tarek Mitri told Al-Ousbou Al-Arabi magazine that Hezbollah “as a significant political power, needs to prove through its actions, that it really considers the state the sole authority as mentioned in the Ministerial Statement.”
“Let us not fool ourselves when we say that we are working toward eliminating political sectarianism,” he said, in a reference to recent debates following Speaker Nabih Berri’s call for forming a national council to work on putting an end to the country’s system of sectarianism. Source: Al-Ousbou Al-Arabi magazine

Pharaon: Christian ministers support PM Hariri.

State Minister Michel Pharaon said following a meeting of Christian March 14 cabinet ministers at his residence that the” Ministerial Statement contains several positive points, but at the same time raised many questions for which we need answers”
“The Ministerial Statement should have confirmed that the Shebaa Farms is Lebanese territory,” he said adding that “international community considers this area a Syrian territory.”
The meeting was attended by Labor Minister Boutros Harb, Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar, Information Minister Tarek Mitri, Social Affairs Minister Salim Sayegh, State Minister Jean Ogassapian and Culture Minister Salim Wardeh
Pharaon stressed the Christian ministers’ support for Prime Minister Saad Hariri.