Turkey Willing to Provide $1.1 Million Military Aid to Lebanon
Following the halt of a Saudi program to fund aid to the Lebanese army, Turkey expressed willingness to provide Lebanon with military aid worth $1.1 million, the National News Agency said.
Turkish ambassador to Lebanon Cagatay Erciyes told Defense Minister Samir Moqbel that his country is ready to “continue to support Lebanon and its army,” NNA said.
“The Turkish government has decided to provide military aid worth $ 1.1 million to meet the needs of the Lebanese army, and to include Lebanon within a program to provide military aid to foreign militaries,” the ambassador pointed.
On Friday, Saudi Arabia halted a $3 billion program for military supplies to Lebanon in protest against Hizbullah's policies and recent diplomatic stances by the Lebanese foreign ministry.
In light of positions taken by Hizbullah the kingdom proceeded to "a total evaluation of its relations with the Lebanese republic," a Saudi official statement said.
It added that the remainder of a $1 billion financing package for Lebanese security forces had been suspended, in a separate decision.
The $3 billion program financed military equipment provided by France.
Source: Naharnet
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