French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beirut this morning to express his support for Lebanon's newly elected leaders and their efforts to form a government that will give the country a new start, Agence France-Presse reported, quoted by BTA.
Macron's visit coincides with that of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, which also suggests a meeting between the two leaders.
France is actively involved in monitoring the ceasefire reached on November 27, which ended hostilities between Israel and "Hezbollah". According to the agreement, all agreements for a complete ceasefire must be implemented by January 26.
After a two-year political vacuum, on January 9, Joseph Aoun was elected president, and he nominated Nawaf Salam as prime minister. The two took on the difficult task of rebuilding the country after the devastating war with Israel and against the backdrop of a severe economic crisis.
According to the Elysee Palace, Macron's visit is intended to demonstrate France's full support for the new president and prime minister. “The election of these leaders will contribute to strengthening Lebanon's sovereignty, unity and prosperity,“ Paris said.
“Lebanon now has a legitimate president trusted by the entire region,“ Macron said in an interview with the Lebanese publication L'Orient-Le Jour. Analysts link the election of Aoun and Salam to the weakening of "Hezbollah" after the war with Israel, which allowed the country's political divisions to be overcome.
France maintains a special relationship with Lebanon, inherited from its rule as a mandated territory after World War I. Since Lebanon's independence in 1943, the two countries have maintained close ties.
The French president will hold talks with the influential speaker of the Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri, a prominent ally of "Hezbollah", as well as with the head of the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL, Haroldo Lazaro. He will discuss progress on the ceasefire agreement and the deployment of the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon.
According to the agreement, "Hezbollah" must withdraw its forces north of the Litani River and dismantle its military infrastructure in the southern parts of the country. At the same time, Israeli troops are withdrawing from the disputed territories, and the Lebanese army, supported by UNIFIL forces, is beginning to take control of these areas.
After a meeting in Paris, France announced “symbolic gestures“ to engage the international community in support of Lebanon. The election of Nawaf Salam as prime minister – a respected judge at the UN International Court of Justice – is the result of diplomatic efforts by France, which defended his candidacy despite the resistance of "Hezbollah", notes Agence France-Presse.