France will host an international conference in support of the Lebanese army after the elections in Israel. This was stated by French President Emmanuel Macron in Doha during his three-day tour of the Persian Gulf region, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP), BTA reports.
Macron expressed regret over the pressure on Lebanon, part of whose territory continues to be occupied by Israel. According to him, holding the conference before the Israeli elections would be pointless.
„A conference will be organized in France in the coming days. "I think it is pointless to organize such a forum before the Israeli elections," the French head of state said.
In September, Macron held meetings with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Jordanian King Abdullah II to seek international support for the deployment of the Lebanese army throughout the country.
However, the Lebanese armed forces are facing serious difficulties due to insufficient funding, low pay and limited equipment. Among the main challenges facing them is the disarmament of the pro-Iranian group "Hezbollah", which opposes this step. The task is also related to the deployment of the Lebanese army along the border with Israel under a framework agreement signed between the two countries in June.
"I think everyone can see today the unbearable situation that Lebanon is in," Macron said. He warned that pressure on the country undermines its sovereignty and described this approach as the most inappropriate way to deal with the problem of “Hezbollah“.
The conference in support of the Lebanese army was originally scheduled for March in Paris, but was postponed after “Hezbollah“ dragged Lebanon into the war in the Middle East, attacking Israel in support of Iran. After the conflict, Israeli forces continued to occupy parts of southern Lebanon.
Macron stressed that France's main goals are to guarantee Lebanese sovereignty and stability, as well as the disarmament of “Hezbollah“. To achieve them, he said, it is necessary to withdraw Israeli forces and restore the coordination mechanism to organize this process.
“France is ready to help with this, as is Qatar“, the French president added.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Deputy Minister of the Armed Forces Alice Ruffo visited Beirut last week. The purpose of their visit was to discuss the possibilities for an international presence in Lebanon after the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in the south of the country expires at the end of the year.