Suleiman Calls for 'Ending Threats' to Target Foreign Interests in Lebanon
President Michel Suleiman stressed on Thursday that threats to target foreign countries' interests in Lebanon will have negative impact on the country after the families of abducted Lebanese pilgrims in Syria warned of targeting Turkish interests if the men weren't released soon.
The president, during the final cabinet session of 2012 held at the Baabda Palace, pointed out that he is directly following up the case along with Prime Minister Najib Miqati and the competent ministerial committee.
On May 22, eleven Lebanese pilgrims were kidnapped in Syria's Aleppo district as they were making their way back by land from a pilgrimage in Iran.
One was released in late August and another in September, while the rest remain in the Aleppo town of Aazaz.
On Monday, the Turkish Embassy in Lebanon urged its citizens to be careful and take caution, after the families of the abducted pilgrims threatened over the weekend to target Turkey's interests in the country.
Concerning the conditions of the Syrian refugees fleeing the bloody conflict in their home country for Lebanon, Suleiman said that the cabinet will tackle the matter during a session on January 3, 2013 at the Baabda Palace.
There are currently more than 150,000 Syrian refugees in the country, according to figures released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Over the sharp difference among the March 14 and 8 alliances on the new electoral law, the president called on the foes to exert efforts to end the dispute to carry out the elections on time, which requires all officials to attend the all-party talks set on January 7.
Discussions on a new electoral law stopped in the aftermath of the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Wissam al-Hasan on Oct. 19 when the opposition boycotted the government, dialogue and cabinet related meetings in parliament.
The coalition called for the resignation of Miqati's government and the formation of a new one to oversee the 2013 parliamentary elections.
But it later agreed to a proposal made by Speaker Nabih Berri for the members of the subcommittee to stay at a hotel near parliament under heavy protection to attend the meetings.
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