Cabinet Postpones Telecoms File Discussions

The cabinet met on Wednesday with plans to address the extension of the contracts of the mobile service providers but adjourned discussions to a later session that was scheduled for the week after.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam chaired the meeting at the Grand Serail to address the telecommunications sector, amid statements made by Telecommunications Minister Butros Harb before joining the ministers at the cabinet that the issue will be postponed to another session.

Ahead of the meeting Harb said: “Extending the contracts of the two mobile services providers will not be discussed during the meeting because I have not finished preparing the report yet.”

Replying to Harb's failure to submit a detailed report, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil said: “If you are unable to convince someone (of your role) you might as well confuse them,” in reference to a 700-page report that was distributed on the ministers.

Conflicts linger between Harb on one hand and Bassil and Education Minister Elias Bou Saab on the other over what reports said is linked to personal gains over the telecoms file.

Information Minister Ramzi Jreij said that the cabinet has approved of the state's contribution to the cost of medical procedures oversees for patients who need it.

Jreij made a sarcastic comment before the meeting and said that the meeting will carry “surprises” like it always does.

“We will engage in disputes and controversy. I do not expect that we come out with a result with regard to the telecommunications file,” said Minister of Culture Rony Araiji.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnuq commented on the security situation in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh, he said: “The situation in under control in the camp.”

For his part, Industry Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan stated: “The file is thorny, discussing it will not end today.”