|
MK Tibi proposes opening PLO office in Beirut
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Arab Member of the Israeli Knesset Mr. Ahmad Tibi proposed opening an office to represent the Palestine Liberation Organization in Lebanon and hailed upcoming parliamentary elections in the country, following talks with Mr. Saad Hariri in Koreitem. On his second visit to Beirut, Mr. Tibi said 1948 Arabs in Israel were shocked by Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination.
MK Tibi told reporters in Koreitem that he traveled to Lebanon before to offer his condolences to the Hariri family for the murder of the late leader and stressed that his talks with Mr. Saad today were part of his discussions with top officials in Beirut on the political process in the region and issues of joint concern to Lebanon and Palestine. Talks also focused on the living conditions of Palestinians in refugee camps and a proposal that Mr. Tibi has already made at the Foreign Ministry to open a representative office for the PLO in Beirut. Mr. Tibi conveyed to Mr. Hariri the greetings of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and praised upcoming parliamentary elections, saying he hoped they will strengthen democratic practice in Lebanon and beyond.
Mr. Saad had earlier received the Director General of the Arab Finance House Mr. Khaled bin Ahmad al-Swaidi. Also in Koreitem, Mr. Hariri met a delegation representing the Economic Forum led by Mr. Wajih Bezri, who pledged to draft an economic program to help revive the economy following parliamentary elections. He told reporters, delegates at the meeting put their expertise at the disposal of Mr. Hariri and updated him on the level of cooperation that existed with the murdered Premier.
|