HRAWI, Elias

Lebanese politician born near Zahle in 1930 in a Maronite Christian family of landowners. Graduated in business administration, he is elected in Parliament for the first time in 1972. From 1980 to 1982, he is Minister of Works. After the assassination of President Rene Muhawad in November 1989, the members of the Lebanese Parliament, who met in Taif, elects him as 10^th President of Lebanon, while Michel Awn proclaims himself President in East-Beirut.

Elias Hrawi was the first Lebanese President native from an outlying zone in the country and not from the Maronite mountain.

It was under his presidency that were implemented the Taif agreements. He signed on May 22, 1991 an agreement of "fraternity, co-ordination and co-operation" with Syria which guarantees that the Lebanese territory will not be used against the interest of Syria.

Hrawi's presidential mandate expired on November 23th 1998. Emile Lahoud succeeded him.

(December 1998)