Bassil Agrees with Fabius on Need to 'Build Strong Army, Fight Terror'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil on Tuesday agreed with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius on the need to “build a strong army and fight terrorism” in Lebanon.
“The meeting was constructive and there are common viewpoints between the two sides, including the agreement on the importance of stability in Lebanon and the need to build a strong army and fight terrorism,” said Bassil after talks with Fabius at the Quai d'Orsay palace in Paris.
The meeting was held on the eve of a French-sponsored conference for the International Support Group for Lebanon in Paris.
For his part, Fabius expressed his readiness and his country's willingness to cooperate with Bassil with the aim of “fortifying ties between the two countries and enhancing cooperation to support Lebanon and its institutions.”
The French minister underlined “France's commitment to the freedom, sovereignty, stability and unity of Lebanon and its support for the Lebanese government in all the challenges it is facing.”
Bassil is part of the delegation that accompanied President Michel Suleiman to Paris, which also includes Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Samir Moqbel, Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas and other officials.
The Support Group was set up last year to help the country deal with the implications of the brutal war in Syria that began in March 2011. It is intended to provide financial, political and security support to Lebanon.
The number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has surged to more than 900,000 according to the United Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR) and Lebanon is facing difficulties in coping with their burden.
The conference, which will be held at the French Foreign Ministry headquarters is expected to be followed by a meeting between Suleiman and his French counterpart Francois Hollande.
05 March 2014, 02:39
11
they agreed on something to take some photos,does Bassil agreed to disarm Hizbalah?? he looks like a kid that lost his parents in a mall :))).
05 March 2014, 10:58
10
Fabius is one of the biggest thieves in the world, and now both of these clowns are making sure they get 50 million each on the KSA arms deal to the lebanese army.
Fabius always, with all the french politicians, blamed G Aoun for treason. He cost French taxpayers half a million euros each month in security at villa Gaby @ Marseille and after @ Haute-Maison for years.
Then Aoun double crossed France. Look at them shaking hands now, for what ???? Money...
Every person who steals 1 dollar from the Lebanese state, especially when the state is weak and in need, will be punished and hopefully hanged
05 March 2014, 12:15
10
the hardest part for proof would be the clown part, the rest is all over the official eastern and western news agencies.
Lest it would be hence easier to prove when judgement comes.
When the cow falls, the number of butchers augment.
05 March 2014, 13:11
10
Well if Bassil can agree to a strong army, then it means that he is still within repair.
05 March 2014, 17:04
00
FT, I read a similar article but that time about our president. It was a shady French paper that is paid to assassinate characters. In this case their stupidity not only has surfaced again by using the very same approach, but has literally exploded out of the water. The thing that many don't seem to understand is this: That the deal is already done between the Saudis and the French government, so no one needs to grease anyone here. First and I am adamant on this, Suleiman is definitely not the man to bribe, he is absolutely clean and noble, then the Saudis have a strict audit of their money and where it goes. Some of the press is trying to disfigure this deal, for different reasons belonging to different parties, just to cast doubt, but people in the know will tell you, the deal is sealed. Now only us Lebanese, i.e army, president, FM will have to work together and prepare the shopping list of what is best suited for our army. The audit has been ON since the protocol was signed.
