The Council of Ministers approved granting special allocations to cover emergency expenditures
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on Wednesday profoundly esteemed the Lebanese Army and Security Forces' audacious deployment in Tripoli city, in an attempt to wind down most recently unleashed offensives which had stormed the region for days.
The President, who presided the weekly cabinet session at Baabda Presidential Palace, highlighted the paramount importance of national civil peace.
"We make civil peace," the President said. "It is supported by all the national references no matter what their religious or political belonging is," he added as praising Tripoli residents' awareness of the gravity of the situation and cooperation with the Lebanese security institutions to get things under full control.
Yesterday, the Senior Defense Council's decisions had been implemented with a wide-range deployment of Security Forces in Tripoli city.
"The Senior Defense Council has also thrashed out the tele-communications data issue," the President said at the back drop of many failing attempts to unearth reasons hindering an agreement over access to the much-needed communication data.
As for the arrest of Shadi Mawlawi, which originally flared up the situation in Tripoli, the President pushed for continued investigations into his case, saying that the security forces had only fulfilled their duties with his arrest.
"If they (ISF) went wrong in handling the situation, clearing his way would not solve the problem," the President said.
In the wake of the session, Information Minister Walid Daouk relayed the Lebanese President's insistence to halt arms smuggling across Lebanese borders, as well as the paramount importance of establishing nonstop cooperation between the Lebanese security apparatuses.
"His Excellency highlighted the importance of enhancing political rhetoric by means of keeping it away from tension," Daouk added, reiterating the President's call for dialogue between both sides of the political divide.
On another level, the Council of Ministers approved today granting special allocations to cover emergency expenditures; 15 billion Lebanese pounds for the Lebanese Army, 5.7 billion Lebanese Pounds for the Internal Security Forces, 1.250 billion Lebanese pounds for the Ministry of Education's official exams procedure, and 700 million Lebanese pounds to overhaul Finance Ministry equipments.

