Spanish Defense Minister visits Hariri: Committed to provide assistance for Syrian refugees’ return

The President of the Council of Ministers Saad Hariri received today at the Grand Serail the Spanish Defense Minister, Maria Dolores De Cospedal, in the presence of the Spanish Ambassador to Lebanon, Milagros Hernando Echevarra.

The meeting focused on the situation in Lebanon and the region as well as the efforts of the Lebanese government in the fight against terrorism.

Hariri thanked the Spanish Defense Minister for the Spanish army’s contribution to UNIFIL forces, and discussed with her ways to activate the military cooperation between the two countries.

After the meeting, the Spanish Minister said: “I conveyed to Prime Minister Hariri the greetings of the Spanish people and the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Spain is fully committed to the stability and the future of Lebanon, particularly through the Spanish contingent participating in the United Nations peacekeeping forces (UNIFIL) in the south. And today I will visit the Spanish contingent, which is committed to provide all possible assistance to Lebanon.”

She added: “We also discussed our bilateral cooperation in terms of maintaining stability, and this is very important to us. We expressed our commitment to support Lebanon regarding the Syrian refugees and to provide assistance for their return to Syria. We also praised the tremendous efforts exerted by the Lebanese government and its work in this regard. I also transmitted to the Prime Minister the best wishes of the Spanish government for the important task carried out by the Lebanese government to restore and consolidate the political, social and economic stability in Lebanon. And we wish the government success.