Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Abdullah Bou Habib to represent Lebanon at the Brussels conference for Syrian refugees, which will be held next week. Bou Habib will present a unified working paper on behalf of the government at the conference.
After his meeting with Mikati at the Grand Serail today, Wednesday, Bou Habib stated that he is addressing the repercussions of the case involving Lebanon's Ambassador to France Rami Adwan. He said, "I sent a committee made up of the Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry and the Director of Inspection, which arrived yesterday and has begun work. I will have an idea today of what needs to be done in this regard." The French Foreign Ministry had urged its Lebanese counterpart to lift the immunity of Ambassador Rami Adwan to facilitate an investigation into allegations of rape and intentional violent practices against two former employees of the Lebanese diplomatic representation in the French capital.
Minister of Displaced Persons
Mikati also met today with Minister of Displaced Persons Issam Sharafeddine, accompanied by the Director-General of the ministry, Ahmad Mahmoud. After the meeting, Minister Sharafeddine said, "My visit today to President Mikati is for coordination and to add new items to the old memorandum of understanding that will be presented during my preparatory visit to Syria. There will initially be a cabinet meeting at the beginning of next week, and my visit to Syria will also be coordinated with the Syrian ministers next week."
President Mikati received the European Union Ambassador to Lebanon, Ralph Tarraf, who clarified that discussions were held regarding the Brussels conference and participation in it.
