Minister of Interior and Municipalities Judge Bassam Mawlawi received Monday members of the US Congress delegation currently visiting Lebanon, including Congressmen Darrel Issa, Darin Lahood and Dan Kildee, as well the head of the American Action Group for Lebanon Edward Gabriel, Mike Ahmar and James McClin.

During the meeting, Mawlawi stressed on “continuing all necessary measures to conduct the parliamentary elections in a fair and transparent manner,” thanking the Lebanese army for its assistance, and hoping that “this will also apply to the internal security forces and public security in light of the circumstances that Lebanon is going through.”

The meeting included a tour d’horizon touching on various political issues, and the prevailing economic problems and their reflection on the daily living situation and the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.

On emerging, Congressman Issa expressed the delegation’s gladness that their visit to Lebanon coincided with the anniversary of independence, adding that the meeting with Minister Mawlawi focused on the parliamentary elections and their scheduled date.

“We were pleased with the answers we got in terms of ensuring the security of the elections, which are the best democratic means, and we also talked about the importance of the future outlook for the return of the Lebanese economy to what it was before,” Issa added.

In turn, Congressman Kildee said: “Our goal is to hold transparent and fair elections so that the Lebanese people express their opinion freely, and we hope that the expatriates will also have a role in expressing their opinion.”

Source: National News Agency