Suleiman Holds Talks with Hollande, Calls for a Political Solution in Syria
President Michel Suleiman stressed on Saturday on the necessity to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis.
Suleiman's statement came during a meeting with his French counterpart Francois Hollande in France's southern city of Nice.
The talks tackled the latest regional developments, especially the Syrian crisis, the state-run National News Agency said.
"Suleiman stressed again on the Lebanese principles that call for finding a political solution to the crisis in Syria,” the NNA revealed.
U.S. President Barack Obama had warned in August he was ready to launch military strikes on Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime over its alleged use of chemical weapons.
Washington has accused the regime of Assad of carrying out the August 21 attack near Damascus, which U.S. officials say killed nearly 1,500 people, including hundreds of children.
Obama, however, said he believed it was important to secure support from Congress to wage war.
The congressional approval is scheduled for September 9.
The NNA added that Suleiman and Hollande discussed ways to strengthen the relationships between Lebanon and France in all fields, particularly supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces to be capable of preserving security and stability in the country and on the border.
Both statesmen also tackled the ongoing preparations ahead of the Sept. 25 meeting of an international support group for Lebanon at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to the same source.
Lebanon hopes the upcoming meeting will help alleviate some of the problems caused by the influx of more than a million refugees from Syria.
The country also is seeking support for the army and the economy.
Meanwhile, Hollande stressed during the meeting on France's “continuous support to Lebanon in all domains.”
"We are very keen on the success of the talks in New York,” he expressed.
While Europe is sharply divided over how to respond to U.S. calls for military action against Syria after the attack, France, however, is the sole EU nation currently willing to take part in the U.S.-led intervention against Assad's regime.
President Suleiman is currently in France to take part in the opening of the 2013 Francophone games.
He is accompanied by First Lady Wafaa, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Samir Moqbel, caretaker Culture Minister Gaby Layyoun and a Lebanese delegation.
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