Reading out today's Cabinet official decisions, Information Minister, Melhem Riachy, said that President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, opened up today's meeting by calling on ministers to observe a minute of silence in honor of the victims of Istanbul terrorist attack, stressing that "the security measures during the New Year's Eve has succeeded in maintaining security."

President Aoun informed Ministers that he will preside over a meeting of the Supreme Defense Council to determine the modus operandi of the Council in light of powers entrusted to it.

Riachy also pointed out that Prime Minister Saad Hariri proposed the formation of a contingency committee- made up of the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs and Health- to deal with any attack as the Istanbul one. Premier Hariri also suggested the formation of an economic ministerial committee comprising of the Ministries of Economy, Industry and Agriculture, to device an economic strategy. Hariri also suggested the formation of a Committee of the Ministries of the interior, Finance, Justice and Economy to develop a licensing process for the development of Mechanical Inspection, under his chairmanship.

Minister Riachy also announced that the Council of Ministers approved the expansion of Civil Defense full-time cadres, the appointment of Emad Kreidieh as the Director General of Ogero, and Bassel Ayoubi as the Director General of Investment and Maintenance at the Telecommunication Ministry.

The Cabinet also approved the allocation of 20 billion Lebanese liras to the Health Ministry.

Source:NNA