Jumblatt, Zaspikin review developments

National Struggle Front Head, MP Walid Jumblatt, met with Russian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Zaspikin, who visited him at his Mokhtara Palace on Saturday. The meeting was a chance to review various developments on both the local and regional scenes, and Russia's stand vis-à-vis said developments. Bilateral Lebanese-Russian relations also featured high during their talks, which were pursued over lunch. Jumblatt also met on Saturday with a delegation from Tripoli and the North, which included members of civil associations who came to thank him for his stands regarding the issue of Syrians seeking refuge in Lebanon. They especially expressed sincere gratitude for the efforts exerted by Social Affairs Minister, Wael Abu Faour, while denouncing Syrian Ambassador's waged campaign against the Social Affairs Ministry in this respect. Talks centered on ways of boosting the work of civil society and widening the scope of refuge works to include areas of extreme poverty and deprivation.