Jean Obeid

Jean Obeid (Arabic جان عبيد Dschan Ubayyid; born May 8, 1939 in Alma, Zgharta ) is a Lebanese lawyer, journalist and politician who served in various government posts, most recently from 2003 to 2004 as Secretary of State. He came from a Maronite family.

Life

Jean Obeid began his career in journalism, where he received several high-level positions in various newspapers and magazines. He was an adviser on Arab affairs for the President Élias Sarkis and Amine Gemayel ( 1983-1987 ). Gemayel appointed him to the Special Envoy for Syria. On February 11, 1987, Obeid met with the former Parliament Speaker Hussein Husseini and Shia was kidnapped by nine armed men in West Beirut. Obeid was released unharmed after four days.

Obeid served as a deputy of the National Assembly and represented 1991-1992 Chouf and 1992-1995 Tripoli. He was from 1993, Minister of State in the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. He then was appointed Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports. In this office he was from 1996 to 1998. On April 17, 2003 he was appointed foreign minister in a cabinet change in the last Cabinet Hariri and replaced the previous incumbent Mahmoud Hammoud. Obeids term of office ended in 2004 and Mahmoud Hammoud was reinstated.

Private and perspectives

Jean Obeid is married and has five children. Obeid is considered as a moderate politician with excellent relationships with a wide variety of political factions in Lebanon. In 2008, he stepped up to the presidential elections and was considered as a possible consensus candidate.