President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, asserted the “Importance of respecting freedom of expression while preserving and not violating public and private properties”. The President also stressed that “Forensic audit must be conducted so that citizens can recover their rights, after the causes of financial deterioration are revealed”.
“What is important is to return to order and understand the pain and sufferings of citizens. Security apparatuses must peacefully control security, in accordance with regulations in force” President Aoun said.
For his part, Prime Minister Dr. Hassan Diab stressed the necessity of “Avoiding convulsions resulting from economic and social conditions, forming a government as soon as possible and exerting all efforts to pass the Capital Control law, in addition to proceeding with the completion of forensic audit, which the Cabinet decided to conduct since March 2020”.
Stances of the President and Prime Minister, came during a security meeting held today at the Presidential Palace, and chaired by President Aoun.
The meeting was devoted to tackle the general situation and recent events which occurred in Awkar region.
Attending the meeting were: Deputy Prime Minister and National Defense Minister, Zeina Akar, Interior Minister, Mohammed Fahmy, Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, Director General of General Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, Director General of Internal Security Forces, Major General, Imad Othman, State Security Director General, Major General Tony Saliba, Assistant Director General of State Security, Brigadier Samir Sannan, Director ofArmy Intelligence, Brigadier General Antoine Kahwajy, Head of the ISF Information Branch,Brigadier Khaled Hammoud, Director of the Information Branch at the General Directorate of Public Security, Colonel Yousef Al-Medawar, Director General of the Presidency of the Republic, Dr. Antoine Choucair, and the President’s Security and Military advisor, Brigadier General Paul Matar.
Meeting Statement:
“His Excellency, the President of the Republic, started the meeting with a quick discussion of the general situation in the country, and recent events which took place in Awkar region, specifically near the offices of “Mkattaf” company specialized in shipping funds to and from abroad.
His Excellency emphasized the necessity of respecting freedom of expression while preserving, and not attacking, public and private properties. The President considered that what is important is to return to order and understand the pain of citizens and their sufferings, especially since they have lost their money and deposits, and security apparatuses must peacefully control security, in accordance with all regulations is force.
Afterwards, the Prime Minister pointed out to the need to avoid tensions resulting from current economic and social conditions, and called for the need to form a government as soon as possible. The Prime Minister also insisted on the necessity of making all efforts to approve the law of Capital Control, which constitutes an appropriate solution to financial issues which citizens suffer from, asserting the need to proceed with forensic audit, which the Cabinet decided to implement since March 2020.
Then, the Interior Minister tackled the current events which occurred in Awkar, and stated that the Internal Security Forces acted within the context of controlling security and not attacking private and public properties.
Finally, His Excellency, the President, stressed that what happened shouldn’t be repeated, and called on citizens to be patient, indicating that he understands their pain and suffering, and for this he is keen on focusing on the importance of forensic audit so that citizens can recover their rights after revealing the causes of financial deterioration which Lebanon experiences.
In addition, the President asked military and security apparatuses to work according to the tasks and missions entrusted to them, within all laws and regulations in force”.
Meeting between President Aoun and Premier Diab:
Before the meeting, the President had met with the Prime Minister who briefed President Aoun on the results of his recent visit to Qatar, in which he had met senior Qatari officials.
Premier Diab informed the President that Qatari officials stand by Lebanon’s side, and Qatar has the desire to help Lebanon in various fields, especially through the current harsh circumstances.
