A meeting was held in New York on Tuesday between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, an opportunity to “discuss the need to keep the presidential elections on time and the need to implement reforms in support of the people. Lebanese “, as the American official made clear.
As part of the diplomatic talks that began on Tuesday in New York, where the 77And The United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the presence of the US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and the US envoy for the file delimiting the maritime border with Israel , Amos Hochstein with whom Mr. Mikati had had the opportunity to discuss earlier. The meeting was also attended by the outgoing Lebanese Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the UN, Amal Moudallali and the diplomatic adviser to the Lebanese Prime Minister, Boutros Assaker.
At the end of the meeting, Antony Blinken reported a “fruitful meeting” with Najib Mikati. This was an opportunity to “discuss the need to hold presidential elections on time and the need to implement reforms in support of the Lebanese people,” added the American official. “The United States will continue to work alongside Lebanon in the pursuit of peace and prosperity,” he concluded.
The Lebanese premier, for his part, stated that “all the files have been examined, in particular the need to hold (on time) the presidential elections (…), in addition to issues relating to Syrian displaced persons, the agreement with the IMF, electricity, and above all education. ”“ We expressed the hope that Lebanon will be supported by all those who have the capacity (…) and we have perceived a palpable collaboration ”in this regard, he announced.
And Najib Mikati confirms, by answering a question, “the great progress” in delimiting the maritime border with Israel.
