Mikati meets US Ambassador over ongoing preparations for UNIFIL mandate extension, chairs meeting over state budget

Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, met, at the Grand Serail on Wednesday, with US Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson, over the bilateral ties and the ongoing preparations for a UN Security Council session devoted to the extension of the mandate of the UNIFIL. Separately, Mikati chaired a meeting to discuss the state budget issue, in the presence of Caretaker Finance Minister Youssef Khalil, Head of the Court of Audit Judge Mohammad Badran, Judge Nelly Abi Younes, Secretary General of the Council of Minister Mahmoud Makkieh, Director General of the Ministry of Finance George Maarrawi, and a number of officials from the Finance Ministry. "The state budget draft will be soon submitted to the ministers ahead of its discussion at the Council of Ministers, said Minister Khalil following the meeting. Mikati later held talks with Caretaker Minister of Industry, Georges Bouchikian. He also met with MPs Jamil Abboud and Sajih Attieh, respectively. He lastly received Director General of the State Security, M ajor General Tony Saliba, with whom he discussed the security situation in the country. Source: National news agency - Lebanon