NNA – House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Monday met with Lebanese Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, and Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Hassan Audi at the Second Presidency in Ain el-Tineh. The meeting reportedly broached the country’s general situation, especially security and field conditions.

Berri also welcomed Deputy Chief of the British Defense Staff, Marshal Harvey Smyth, in the presence of UK Ambassador to Lebanon, Hamish Cowell. The meeting addressed the situation in Lebanon and the region in light of Israel's continued aggression against Lebanon and Gaza, as well as bilateral relations between both countries.

The House Speaker separately received the European Commission's Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, in the presence of EU Ambassador to Lebanon, Sandra De Waele. The meeting reportedly discussed the general situation in Lebanon and the region.

In other news, Berri called for a general assembly session at 11:00 am on Thursday, April 25th, to discuss two urgent and repeated legislative proposals on the agenda:

1. A proposal to extend the term of existing municipal and mayoral councils until May 31, 2025, submitted by MP Jihad Samad.

2. A proposal to specify the law applicable to confirmed Civil Defense volunteers under the provisions of Law No. 289 of 2014 and Law No. 59 of 2017, submitted by MPs Jihad Samad, Ali Hassan Khalil, Ibrahim Kanaan, Amin Cherri, Tony Frangieh, and Hassan Murad.

==================R.H.