Bassil Says to Cooperate with President, Premier to Shape Country's Foreign Policy
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil stressed on Thursday that he is following up the case of the abducted Lebanese in Syria and in Nigeria, pointing out that he will cooperate with the President and the Premier in all matters.
“I discussed the matter of the abducted Lebanese in Nigeria with ambassador Amos Oluwole Idowu and General Security Chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim,” Bassil said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.
He revealed that a mechanism was established with the General Security to follow up the cases.
Imad al-Indari and Carlos Bou Aziz, two Lebanese expats, were kidnapped along with five other foreigners in Nigeria on February 16, 2013 from Setraco Nigeria, a construction and civil engineering company with a road project in the region, which is a subsidiary of Lebanese-owned Setraco International Holding group.
The Lebanese foreign ministry confirmed the incident.
Bassil is following up the case of Bishops Ibrahim and Yazigi, who were kidnapped on April 23 in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo while they were on a humanitarian work.
Asked if he will cooperate with President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Tammam Salam, the Minister stressed that “the constitution gives the president and premier various jurisdiction and based on that he will cooperate with them.”
“The Foreign Minister doesn't shape Lebanon's foreign policy but merely expresses it and participates in drafting it in cooperation with the government and the president,” Bassil noted.
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