Lebanese President Receives Abu-Ghazaleh in Beirut

Lebanese Premier Fouad Siniora also received Abu-Ghazaleh at his office in the Grand Serail

BEIRUT, August 31, 2008  His Excellency General Michel Suleiman, President of Lebanon, received on August 29, 2008 Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman of the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org), at the Baabda Presidential Palace in Beirut.

Abu-Ghazaleh congratulated Gen. Suleiman for his election by the Lebanese people as their consensus president.

According to the Lebanese National News Agency, Abu-Ghazaleh stated that President Suleiman expressed his approval on a number of projects being executed by TAG-Org in Lebanon since they serve the country?s national interests.

The TAG-Org Chairman revealed that these projects include:

- The creation of a center to refurbish used computers for eventual redistribution among schools, in accordance with the program of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. This is entirely a charitable project.

- The creation of a Lebanese-Arab company for collective administration of copyrights and related rights, in addition to supporting Arab innovators.

- A third venture relates to electronically connecting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with embassies and consulates worldwide, so that the Ministry can electronically monitor all these entities.

?In addition to all these enterprises, we will embark on the creation of a ?Knowledge Village? and a ?Media and Arts Village? in Lebanon. This will ensure that the country plays its role as an artistic and media hub, by attracting major international organizations to utilize these villages as their regional headquarters,? Abu-Ghazaleh added.

In other news, the Lebanese National News Agency reported that Premier Fouad Siniora received Abu-Ghazaleh at his office in the Grand Serail, where Abu-Ghazaleh reviewed with the PM the TAG-Org undertakings in Lebanon.

The News Agency stated that TAG-Org offers a comprehensive group of high-quality services while contributing to the economic, social and cultural development of the Arab world within the context of the global economy.

TAG-Org has academic centers and colleges for higher education and sponsors major artistic activities globally, such as the sponsorship of the National Lebanese Symphony Orchestra.

TAG-Org also issues publications including dictionaries and Arabic translations of international financial and economic standards.