The Supreme Defense Council convened today, at the Presidential Palace, in a session chaired by President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, and decided to request heads of security and military apparatuses to intensify coordination meetings, in order to follow-up and address the security situation, in light of current local developments.

Two sessions were held by the Supreme Defense Council, the first was in attended by Deputy Prime Minister, National Defense and Acting Foreign Affairs Minister, Zeina Akar, Finance Minister, Ghazi Wazny, Interior Minister, Mohammed Fahmy, Economy and Trade Minister, Raoul Nehme, Presidency Director General, Dr. Antoine Choucair, and Secretary General of the Supreme Defense Council, Major General Mahmoud Al-Asmar.

The Second session convened later, and was attended by: Public Works Minister, Michel Najjar, Energy Minister, Raymond Ghajar, Central Bank Governor, Riad Salameh, Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, Director General of General Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, Director General of the Internal Security Forces, Major General Imad Othman, Director General of State Security, Major General Antoine Saliba, Government Commissioner to the Military Court, Judge Fadi Akiki, Assistant Director General of State Security, Brigadier General Samir Sannan, Director of Army Intelligence, Brigadier General Antoine Kahwajy, Head of the Information Branch in the Internal Security Forces, Brigadier Khaled Hammoud, and the security and military advisor to the President of the Republic, Brigadier General Paul Matar.

Statement:

After the meeting, Major General Al-Asmar read the following statement:

“The Supreme Defense Council convened today in a session today, at the invitation of His Excellency, the President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun. Prime Minister, Dr. Hassan Diab did not attend the session due to quarantine.

Several ministers, the Central Bank Governor, the Army Commander, Heads of Security apparatuses, General Director of the Presidency, Secretary General of the Supreme Defense Council, and the Governmental Commissioner to the Military court, attended the meeting.

Security and living affairs were tackled in the meeting, in addition to the fuel crisis, in light of administrative and security reports, especially those of a sensitive nature. The wheat storing building at the Port of Beirut, the chemicals found in the oil facilities in Tripoli and Zahrani, and the facilities designated for refueling aircraft at Rafic Hariri International Airport, were also addressed in the meeting.

A series of decisions and recommendations were taken to address these issues, based on the laws and regulations in force, including a request to the heads of military and security services to intensify regular coordination meetings, while following-up to address the security situation.

Council decisions were kept secret”. — Press office