Higher Defense Council Briefed on Measures to Protect Diplomatic Missions, Confront Refugee Influx

The Higher Defense Council lauded on Friday the role of security forces and the army in arresting criminals as it was briefed on measures put in place to defend diplomatic missions and confront a bigger refugee influx from Syria.

Top officials were “briefed by security and military officials on the arrest of criminals and called for doubling their efforts to do so,” Higher Defense Council Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir said following a meeting led by President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace.

The Council discussed the needs of the army and security forces that would allow them to carry out their missions, he said.

Council members were also briefed by the security and military officials on the measures aimed at protecting civil peace and fighting terrorism to confront plots in addition to safeguarding diplomatic missions, said the statement read by Kheir.

The Baabda palace meeting, which was the third in less than a month, was attended by Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati, and Caretaker Ministers Fayez Ghosn, Marwan Charbel, Mohammed Safadi, Nicolas Nahhas, Walid al-Daouq and Wael Abou Faour.

Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji was among the military and security officials who attended the meeting.

The officials also discussed the issue of Syrian refugees and the possibility of a bigger influx amid threats of a U.S. military strike on the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad over its alleged use of chemical weapons.

According to U.S. intelligence, more than 1,400 people living in rebel-held suburbs of Damascus were killed in an Aug. 21 attack, which involved the use of sarin nerve gas.

Suleiman told the Council that if any such military intervention takes place, Lebanon's principles in that regard are clear in terms of no foreign interference in Syria.

He reiterated however his rejection of the use of chemical weapons.

The Council was briefed by Abou Faour on the measures put in place by his ministry to confront the possible influx, Kheir said.

Suleiman and Miqati held closed-door talks before the Council meeting.