Higher Defense Council Discusses Support for Armed Forces

The Higher Defense Council tackled on Monday ways to support the armed forces and discussed the eradication of cannabis plantations in the eastern Bekaa Valley.

Discussions focused on “providing the army and the rest of the armed forces with their needs,” said a terse statement read by the council's Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir.

The council discussed some of the recent “incidents in different areas” and tackled “the eradication of cannabis, calling for alternative agriculture for citizens,” it said.

Discussion also focused on “the measures that the involved ministries should take to resolve the conditions of the(Syrian) refugees whose numbers have soared, and to provide them with their urgent needs,” the statement added.

The meeting, held at Baabda Palace, was headed by President Michel Suleiman and attended by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, the interior, defense, economy, health, foreign affairs, social affairs, finance and agriculture ministers and a number of security officials.

The council keeps its decisions confidential in accordance to the law.

But reports have said that the conferees were briefed on a recommendation by Caretaker Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn for the extension of Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji’s term after Suleiman and Miqati approved it during talks they held ahead of the council meeting.

Qahwaji's mandate expires on Sept. 23, when he turns 60 – the age of retirement for army commanders.

The reports said that the delay in his retirement by one year was made through a decree in accordance to articles 55 and 56 of the defense law.

The alleged move was taken to avoid a vacuum in the army leadership after the parliament failed on Monday for the third consecutive time to vote on the extension over lack of quorum caused by the boycott of Miqati and several blocs.