Bou Habib from Rome: For an immediate ceasefire and the deployment of additional Lebanese armed forces south of the Litani River

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in the government identified caretakersAbdullah was Habibhe noted, “Europe and the Middle East are geographically interconnected, and with a long history and overlapping interests the two regions have seen periods of peace, prosperity and cooperation.

In his speech at Rome’s Mediterranean Dialogue, he emphasized that “the only constant is that they always influenced and influenced each other, with good and evil when one one of them sneezed, the other caught a cold. ” He believed that “in a globalized world, there is a strong opportunity for coordination, cooperation and mutual prosperity.”

Bou Habib noted:LebanonIt is located at the crossroads between different civilizations and cultures, and has always been a bridge between Europe and the Middle East. Lebanon now faces multiple military, economic, political and social challenges,” stressing that “effective European support is essential and represents a common interest. ” Lebanon believes that the efforts of the peacekeeping forces (UNIFIL) operating in the south are essential and vital for the realization of peace. “

He said that “the Lebanese are grateful that 17 European countries are an integral and necessary part of UNIFIL,” stressing that “in this regard, Lebanon strongly condemns any attack on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, and calls on all parties to respect. Therefore, Lebanon condemns the recent attacks on the Italian battalion, and regrets these hostile actions “Justified.”

He also believed that “UNIFIL is the bridge of cooperation between Lebanon and international legitimacy. The attacks, killings, destruction, and displacement of around a million and a half Lebanese make us more determined to seek the support of the international community, to overcome the challenges that arise We are against it.

Bou Habib said: “The conviction among political decision-makers in the post-independence phase was that Lebanon’s strength lies in its weakness: if Lebanon does not pose a threat to its neighbors, it will not someone threatens us The implementation of the United Nations resolutions to establish a Palestinian state was “… a negative impact on Lebanon starting in the mid-1960s, and since then, our efforts to build strong military and security institutions have not been successful to achieve “

He explained, “To do this, we need your support to build armed and security forces to defend and protect our territory,” stressing that “the main challenges require national and international efforts national together to build strong Lebanese security services to empower the legitimate national authority, because it is the guarantor of security and peace.

He said, “In this context, the parallel and full implementation of Resolution No. 1701 from the UN Security Council is a gateway to stability. There will be no weapons without the permission of the government, and there is no authority but the authority of the Lebanese government.”

Bou Habib continued: “Two essential conditions are needed to achieve this goal:

1- Immediate fire.

2- Deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces further south of the Litani River.

Once the above is achieved, and in cooperation with UNIFIL forces, Lebanon will be able to extend its authority over its territory.

In addition, he said, “We renew Lebanon’s commitment to peace and security in our region, and we call for the safe return of those displaced to their villages and towns, however, there is a need for permanent and stable peace and security on the Lebanese-Israeli border end Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory.

He called on Europe to “strengthen our historic partnership. Europe has friends on the other side of the Mediterranean, including Lebanon. We look forward to working with European partners to build a Mediterranean basin based on peace, justice and prosperity. Let us join hands to overcome instability and conflict.”