Miqati Meets Clinton, Says Lebanese Keen to Maintain Country's Stability

Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Tuesday that Lebanese foes agreed to preserve the country's stability and safeguard it from the negative repercussions surrounding it.

"The international community should understand the Lebanese state's decision to disassociate the country from the developments in the region," Miqati told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

The PM tackled with Clinton the importance of boosting the military aid for the Lebanese army and offering it all the possible support to enable it to carry out its duties.

Miqati pointed out during the meeting that the country's sovereignty is being continuously violated by Israel.

He called on the U.S. to exert efforts to halt the endeavors carried out by Israel.

Miqati is in New York at the head of a delegation to attend the U.N. 67th General Assembly. He is also scheduled to hold a series of separate meetings with the presidents of France, Egypt, Cyprus and the Palestinian territories.

For her part, Clinton hailed the cabinet for assuming its responsibilities and preserving the country's stability.

During the 40-minute meeting, Clinton tackled with Miqati the conditions of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Clinton expressed gratitude for the stance undertaken by the Lebanese stance concerning the matter and for the humanitarian aid it is offering for the refugees.

The U.N. says more than 1.2 million Syrians, over half of them children, have become internally displaced in the country while an estimated 250,000 refugees sought shelter in neighboring Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.

With around 40,000 refugee in Lebanon.

The U.S. Secretary of State urged the Lebanese cabinet to swiftly resolve the dispute over its Exclusive Economic Zone and to start drilling for offshore natural gas reserves.

Lebanon has been slow to exploit its maritime resources compared with other eastern Mediterranean countries. Israel, Cyprus and Turkey are all much more advanced in drilling for oil and gas.

The country has submitted to the United Nations a maritime map that conflicts significantly with one proposed by Israel.

The disputed zone consists of about 854 square kilometers, and suspected energy reserves there could generate billions of dollars.