“At a time when the crisis attracting everyone’s attention is in the east, on Europe’s easternmost borders, we need to remain focused on the crises still creating upheaval in the Mediterranean”. Starting with Lebanon and Syria. Speaking was Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini, who attended the meeting of the international support group for Lebanon today, 5 March, in Paris.
Lebanon meeting “extremely important”
The meeting on Lebanon at the Elysée Palace was “extremely important”, continued Minister Mogherini. “We must continue to provide our best possible support in a situation that, for Lebanon, is very difficult”. The Foreign Minister cited not just Lebanon’s problems with the influx of Syrian refugees, but also the need for economic backing and support for the country’s armed forces.
Support for Lebanon: technical meeting in Rome on 10 April
Mogherini also reported that “On 10 April, in Rome, a technical meeting has been organised to prepare the support plan for the Lebanese armed forces”. And in late June, again in Rome, the International Support Group for Lebanon will hold a “political meeting” to examine “which concrete projects can be implemented to assist the country’s armed forces”.
Syrian crisis
Alongside the work to support Lebanon, concluded Minister Mogherini, “we need to work on finding a new impetus for a political solution to the crisis in Syria, with the full involvement of Iran”.
