NNA – French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Marc Ayrault, encouraged, in a statement on Friday, “all the Lebanese sides to work swiftly for a unifying government.”
Congratulating Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, Ayrault indicated that Lebanon had entered a new phase that would put an end to the institutional crisis the country had been witnessing for over two years.
“To exit this crisis, a unifying government must be swiftly formed, so that the international community should provide better assistance to Lebanon, especially on the security, economic, and humanitarian fields,” he said.
“For France, Lebanon is always a friendly country and remains a model of diversity and tolerance. France, as holding onto the country’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, will provide Lebanon with full support, and will carry on exerting efforts within the international community. We will also continue our work in favor of reinforcing the strong solid ties on all fields between Lebanon and France,” he concluded.
Moreover, spokesperson of the French Foreign Ministry, Roman Nadal, said–in response to a reporter’s question on the Lebanese-French-Saudi agreement to gear up the Lebanese army–that France held onto assisting the Lebanese armed forces, adding that this issue necessitates dialogue with the Saudi authorities.
“We hope that this contract would be implemented for the sake of Lebanon’s security. There is dialogue with Lebanon and Saudi Arabia in that respect,” he concluded.
