Prime Minister Nawaf Salam placed the issues of the south and the readiness for the crossing of Iraqi oil at the heart of his movements, following on the one hand the needs of the town of Faron and the return of its people, and on the other hand the Lebanese readiness for the expected role in storing crude oil and Iraqi oil derivatives and re-exporting them.
Regarding the southern file, Salam stressed that restoring life to Fron and the rest of the towns and villages of the south constitutes a national goal to which the state is committed, and that the government is working to harness the capabilities of its institutions to accompany the return of the people and settle them in their land, provide basic services and address urgent needs.
His position came during his reception of a delegation from the municipality of Fron, headed by Mayor Hassan Bazzi, in the presence of the President of the South Council, Hashem Haidar.
After the meeting, Bazzi explained that the delegation presented the town’s needs, and that Salam confirmed the start of work to implement a number of demands as of Tuesday. The files included the conditions of the displaced and returnees, housing units and alternative homes, water, roads, supporting walls, a vehicle for transporting waste, the municipality building and the Lebanese Civil Defense Center.
The delegation also discussed the issue of destroyed homes built on public property, where Labor Peace stressed that it would be dealt with quickly, along with the agricultural sector, which stressed its interest in it and the immediate follow-up of its demands.
In another file, Salam chaired a meeting to follow up on Lebanese preparations for the expected arrangements related to the transit of Iraqi crude oil and oil derivatives through Lebanon, in the presence of the Ministers of Energy and Water, Joe Al-Sadi, the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Ahmed Al-Hajjar, the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rasamni, the Director General of Public Security, Major General Hassan Shuqair, the Head of the Supreme Council of Customs, Brigadier General Mesbah Khalil, and the Director General of Customs, Gracia Al-Qazzi.
The meeting discussed the readiness of the sectors and departments concerned, in light of Lebanon’s expected role, in the first phase, as a center for storing and re-exporting oil, in addition to the necessary logistical and infrastructure needs.
The research included rehabilitating a number of roads to facilitate the movement of tanks, raising the readiness of border crossings to accommodate the expected movement, organizing traffic towards storage sites, as well as preparations for storage facilities, safety requirements and operational procedures.
It was agreed to continue coordination between the ministries, agencies and departments concerned to complete preparations within the specified deadlines and ensure the necessary logistical and operational readiness.
