The press office of Minister of Public Works and Transportation Ali Hamieh stressed, in a statement on Monday, that the Minister's communication with Syria came upon the official request of the Council of Ministers.

"Further to the remarks made yesterday by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Adallah Bou Habib to al-Jadeed channel regarding the government granting the Public Works and Transportation Minister the permission to communicate with Syria, Minister Ali Hamieh is keen to clarify that the Council of Ministers has officially tasked him with communicating with Syria to discuss pending affairs with the Syrian side and that are relevant to the Ministry," the statement read.

"Contacts with the Syrian side are still ongoing in that respect," it added.