Mitri briefed the press about Wednesday’s cabinet meeting

Lebanese Information Minister Tarek Mitri briefed the press Monday night on the results of the cabinet meeting

-The cabinet agreed to adopt a mechanism for the administrative appointments next Wednesday after State Minister for Administrative Reforms Mohammad Fneish finalizes his talks. PM Saad Hariri said that “equality between the sects should not be made at the expense of competence.”

-President Michel Suleiman said Lebanon should “respond to Israel’s threats with a united stance, the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701” and a defense of the country with its army and Resistance.

-Suleiman expressed to the American delegation that he recently met his criticism of the new US airport security measure for US-bound passengers traveling through “countries of interest,” including Lebanon.

-Suleiman formed a committee to tackle the environment to include : Ministers Ibrahim Najjar, Hussein al-Hajj Hassan, Mohammad Rahhal and Ziad Baroud and to be headed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri

-Hariri’s called for the freedom of the media to be protected.

– Hariri briefed the cabinet about his trips to Jordan and Turkey, saying that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan express interest in visiting Beirut.

Erdogan expressed Turkey’s support against Israeli threats. Hariri also said he will be visiting the UAE, France and Egypt soon.

– The cabinet called for the municipal elections to take place on time

The cabinet discussed lowering the voting age in Lebanon from 21 to 18-years and left it for the parliament to decide