Paoli: Preserving Lebanon's Stability is Army's Role, France is an Assistance

French ambassador to Lebanon Patrice Paoli stated on Tuesday that the international agreement to preserve Lebanon's stability can only be achieved through Lebanon's army and security forces, As Safir daily reported.

“There is no such thing as an international umbrella and we have never said that. In reality there is an international understanding U.N. Security Council to preserve Lebanon's stability,” said Paoli in an interview to the daily.

He added: “However stability cannot be achieved solely through an international decision, particularly in light of the current changing circumstances, and France has its capacities through the UNIFIL in the South that alone cannot guarantee continued stability. Maintaining stability is the role of the Lebanese army and security forces.”

Assuring that the French weapons to Lebanon that have been financed through a $3 billion Saudi grant have not been frozen, he said: “Our role is to help through the military aid program that supports the army. There is a French-Saudi commitment to back the army.”

He stated that “Lebanon's regime was not established to fabricate understandings among the Lebanese but more likely it was made to forbid parties from controlling each other. The Lebanese political machine is unable to make decisions.”

“France has succeeded, in the darkest circumstances, to create the International Support Group for Lebanon. France always discusses issues of Lebanon with all its partners in the region, and we will not stop doing so, but the decision to elect a president is not in its hands.”