Lahoud discusses green agenda with Musa
President Emile Lahoud met with Environment Minister Michel Musa on Monday to discuss recent government efforts to ban diesel-fueled vehicles and target illegal quarries.
A statement from Baabda Palace said Musa affirmed that interest in such environmental issues had topped the government’s agenda over the past few weeks and had resulted in a series of measures to combat pollution.
The minister said that additional measures would be taken to preserve public health and confront dangers to the environment.
Also discussing the government’s environmental efforts were Speaker Nabih Berri and Deputy Prime Minister Issam Fares, who reviewed the issue of quarries.

Battle stresses need for calm along Blue Line
US Ambassador Vincent Battle met with Interior Minister Elias Murr on Monday, reiterating Washington’s call for calm and stability along the UN-drawn Blue Line.
After the 75-minute meeting, Battle refused to answer reporters’ questions about alleged US interference in Lebanese internal affairs, which has been raised recently by Chouf MP Walid Jumblatt.  But Battle did say that Washington was pleased with a period of reduced tension along the Lebanese-Israeli border, which has lasted since April.
Battle added that his country understood that repeated Israeli overflights over Lebanon were a source of tension, but called on all parties to ensure calm.

Hariri coordinates Paris trip with French ambassador
French Ambassador Philippe Lecourtier met with Premier Rafik Hariri on Monday to discuss preparations for the latter’s upcoming visit to Paris.
Speaking after a meeting with Hariri at the Grand Serail, Lecourtier said it was geared toward discussions on regional and international developments as well as preparations for the Paris II donor meeting.
A source close to Hariri’s office said the premier’s trip is scheduled for next month, and will include a meeting with French President Jacques Chirac.

Envoys to receive tour of South to counter Israeli claims
The Foreign Ministry will lead the heads of diplomatic missions here on a tour of the South Tuesday as part of its effort to counter Israeli allegations of a military build-up by Hizbullah along the border.
The diplomats will embark on their tour at 8.45am and visit the UN-demarcated Blue Line, Marjayoun and Naqoura.
Israel has recently claimed that Hizbullah has deployed rockets in the region, a charge Lebanese officials have denied.
The Israelis have also claimed that members of Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network were present in Lebanon.
The director of protocol at the Foreign Ministry, Abdel-Latif Mamlouk, will accompany the diplomats on their trip.

Addoum moves to crack down on risque billboards
State Prosecutor Adnan Addoum decided Monday to refer the issue of racy billboard advertisements to the Central Investigations Department, after a delegation of spiritual leaders denounced them.
Addoum received Druze, Shiite, Sunni and Alawite clerics, as well as officials from Tele-Lumiere, which is supervised by the Maronite patriarchate, at his office.
He then summoned the owners of billboards, who later pledged to remove the advertisements immediately and refrain from putting them up again.
The delegation requested that the judiciary strive to remove similar advertisements on television.

Jisr extols virtues of judiciary as safeguard for democracy
Justice Minister Samir Jisr said Monday that the judiciary remained the “first and last resort” for legal recourse, affirming that there could be no democracy or stability in the absence of a judicial system capable of addressing any wrongdoing.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new Damour court building, which has been out of use since the beginning of the civil war, Jisr said: “The return of the court to where it was means the return of justice to Damour. There can be no real return without the state institutions and without justice administered by an independent judiciary.
“There are enough wise men in the country to save it and restore to it its pioneering role,” he said, adding that a state of law was the only “permanent guarantee” of justice.

Unofficial Islamic front urges politicians to tone it down
A gathering of Islamic figures, associations and committees urged all politicians Monday to declare a “media truce,” at least during the summer, to allow tourists and visiting expatriates to spend their vacation “in peace.”
The gathering said in a statement that it supported the internal, regional and international policy of President Emile Lahoud, whom it said follows the principle of a state of laws and institutions.

Two arrested sneaking in from Jewish state
The Internal Security Forces have arrested two Lebanese nationals as they tried to slip into the country from Israel.
The two were arrested after jumping a border fence near the Fatima Gate crossing on Sunday near Kfar Kila, the ISF said.
Authorities are reportedly questioning Hassan Daneen, from the village of Khiam, and Saba Sheikh, from Jezzine, security officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Hundreds of members from the now-defunct South Lebanon Army militia as well as other Israeli collaborators defected to the Jewish state with their families after Israel withdrew its troops from the South in 2000. Many ex-SLA members have surrendered to the local government to benefit from the state’s offer of leniency.
A special military court has tried some 3,000 former SLA members and collaborators who were rounded up after the Israeli withdrawal. ­ AP

Baath Party calls for state of ‘economic emergency’
The Baath Party’s regional leadership urged the government Monday to declare an “economic state of emergency” by drawing up a comprehensive and programmed “salvation plan.”
The call came in a statement issued following a meeting held by the party under the chairmanship of its secretary-general, Baalbek-Hermel MP Assem Qanso.
The statement said the party leadership dwelt at length on the “deteriorating economic situation” and warned of negative results.
To ensure the economic plan’s success, it should win the approval of the country’s three top leaders and be endorsed by the Cabinet and Parliament, it added.
It called for abolishing “political confessionalism” and enacting a modern electoral law, affirming that national dialogue was “the only way” to deal with political, economic and other issues.

Beydoun talks up future supply of Turkish electricity
Energy and Water Minister Mohammed Abdel-Hamid Beydoun said Monday that Turkey could supply Lebanon with electricity to satisfy its demand when both are linked by a network.
Beydoun returned earlier Monday from a three-day official visit to Turkey where he met with his Turkish counterpart and discussed ways to promote economic cooperation.
Speaking after a meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Sayed Hamid Albar, Beydoun said Turkey was also willing to promote other types of cooperation.
According to Beydoun, a six-country power grid is expected to be completed next year. He said the government was attempting to pave the way for a visit by the Lebanese prime minister to Turkey, especially since official visits between the two have been interrupted since 1993.

Lawsuit protests pollution of Litani River, Lake Qaraoun
The Litani River Authority director-general has filed a lawsuit against 265 factories, hospitals and municipalities for polluting the Litani waters and Lake Qaraoun. Nasser Nasrallah, who was speaking during a weekend meeting in Chtaura, filed the suit on June 14.
He said the pollution in the river was very serious and threatened underground water sources, adding that all industries, hospitals, farms and gas stations “left their waste mix with sewage water, which goes into the river.”
The reopening of a sugar beet processing plant recently caused the death of fish in Jib Jinnin, Nasrallah said, although the firm has denied the charges.
Nasrallah said he filed a previous lawsuit against those responsible for the pollution of the Litani River in July 2000, but that investigations in the case had not yet started.

MPs unite over poor pace of development plans
A delegation representing MPs from Hasbaya and Marjayoun complained Monday to Hariri about the lack of progress in development plans for their areas.
“The visit to premier Rafik Hariri was part of a campaign aimed at briefing officials on Marjayoun-Hasbaya residents’ grievances,” MP Asaad Hardan told reporters after the visit. He was accompanied by Hasbaya-Marjayoun MPs Anwar Khalil, Nazih Beydoun, Qassem Hashem and Ali Hassan Khalil.
Hardan said that two years had elapsed since the liberation of the South but people were still waiting for the implementation of the state’s development plans. The state, he said, was no doubt determined to carry out the development plans, “but it is going about the job slowly.”
The Hasbaya-Marjayoun MPs will question the concerned ministers in Parliament on Tuesday, he said.

Environmentalists urge scrutiny of Jbeil road project
The local environmental group Byblos Ecologia called on the government Monday to examine the environmental impact of a new road project in Jbeil.
The group argued that the construction of a new road between Fidar and Hboub in the qada of Jbeil would violate the laws governing protected areas. The road would run only 500 meters away from the protected area of Bintael, the minimal distance required by law to keep protected areas safe from adverse environmental impacts.
“Byblos Ecologia demands the concerned parties to conduct an environmental impact assessment to determine that the new road would not upset the balance of the protected area,” said a statement released by the group. Bintael was declared a protected area in February 1999.

Displaced bemoan slow progress on compensation
A delegation representing displaced residents from the Chouf town of Brih complained Monday to Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir about the slow progress of compensation claims.
The delegation gave the patriarch a list of demands intended to ensure an “honorable return to the town.” They expressed surprise at the “current lack of interest” on the government’s part in the issue of the return of the displaced and the lack of funding earmarked for the issue by either the ministry concerned or the Central Fund for the Displaced.
In a separate development, the fund’s former head, Shadi Massad, also paid a visit to Bkirki and conferred with the patriarch on the latest local and regional developments.

Italy signs up for bilateral cooperation deal
Lebanon and Italy signed an agreement Monday designed to consolidate bilateral cooperation in the fields of economic and social development.
During a ceremony at the Foreign Ministry, minister Mahmoud Hammoud signed for Lebanon, joined by Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Cassini on behalf of his country. Hammoud said Italy was Lebanon’s leading trade partner and the agreement would be added to the series of accords already concluded. He said the new agreement would encourage cooperation between national or international organizations from the private and public sectors to carry out development projects or specialized programs.
Cassini said the agreement had special importance as a “positive turning point in the long history of cooperation” between the two.

Order of the Knights of Malta holds special Mass
The Order of the Knights of Malta held a Mass Monday at the Mar Maroun Church in Gemaizeh to mark Saint John the Baptist Day.
The Mass was attended by Telecommunications Minister Jean-Louis Qordahi, representing President Emile Lahoud, State Minister Michel Pharaon representing Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and Beirut MP Nabil de Freij representing Speaker Nabih Berri. French Ambassador Philippe Lecourtier and other diplomats were also present.

First lady says farewell to wife of outgoing Swiss ambassador
First lady Andree Lahoud received Marie-Christine Streuli, wife of outgoing Swiss Ambassador Jurg Streuli, who came to bid her farewell Monday before her departure due to the completion of her husband’s work here.
Streuli expressed her attachment to Lebanon and hoped the Swiss presence would be enhanced here, especially in light of the preparations for the upcoming Francophone summit. Streuli mentioned the success of Swiss activities, including art exhibitions, on the eve of the summit.
Lahoud thanked Streuli for the cultural and artistic activities to which she contributed. She expressed hope that Switzerland would maintain its active presence and wished the Streulis luck in their new diplomatic mission.

Japanese donation to renovate Chouf maternity ward
Japan has donated over $40,000 for the renovation of the maternity ward at the IRFAN Hospital in Samqanieh, Chouf. Japanese Ambassador Naoto Amaki on Monday attended an inauguration ceremony for the project, which is part of the Japanese government’s Grassroots Grant Program. The program has provided over $2.5 million in development aid to nonprofit organizations in Lebanon since 1996.

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