Suleiman Meets Hollande, Larijani as Paris Vows to Equip Army ASAP
French President Francois Hollande on Friday promised President Michel Suleiman to start equipping the Lebanese Army with weapons “as soon as possible.”
Hollande also reiterated “Paris' commitment to supporting Lebanon” during a meeting with Suleiman in Tunisia, where they took part alongside world leaders in a ceremony celebrating the adoption of the country's new constitution.
The French leader promised to “equip the Lebanese Army with the weapons it requests under the Saudi donation as soon as possible,” according to Lebanon's National News Agency.
Suleiman also met in Tunisia with Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani and talks tackled “bilateral ties between the two countries and means to strengthen them, in addition to current situations in the region.”
Larijani stressed “the importance of security and stability in Lebanon, especially amid the critical situations that the Middle East region is going through.”
A week ago, Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji visited Saudi Arabia to discuss the kingdom's grant to the military institution.
Qahwaji traveled to Paris earlier this month for talks with top French military officials, two weeks after Suleiman announced a Saudi pledge of $3 billion to buy military equipment from France.
Hollande, who was on a visit to Saudi Arabia during Suleiman's announcement, said his country would "meet" any requests from Lebanon.
Officials concerned with Lebanese affairs in the French administration told Naharnet on Jan. 20 that the Saudi donation will include weaponry used for military and security purposes to enable troops to face terrorist and security challenges in the country, and arms and equipment to monitor the border.
10 years
Can't enlighten hopeless cases such as urs... Don't bother.
10 years
Tunis should be an exemple for all of us, secular state, civil law, gender equality... And we are still looking if we cross with 3or 5 fingers, if we pray friday ir sunday, we still keep batles done more than thousand years sgo devide us, women get beaten, killed and it's n
10 years
..nirmal, underaged girls get maried (at 11 years) and that's normal.. I'm not talking about march 8/14 but a state... U know a country with laws, rights...
But we are so proud, we created the alphabet, waouw.. Look what we have become...
Anyway, chupschups for all of us and to our banana republic...
10 years
ASAP they say, didn't they also say that months ago? Going to be exciting to see what kind of garbage the french has in store for us.
10 years
if you are not happy with it, the best solution would be hezbollah to integrate the NATIONAL army, if they are soooo patriotic as they pretend to be....
10 years
Our army should be equipped with real advanced weaponry. Not some old garbabe left behind, that the french so willingly sells for a small sum of Saudi dollars. Anony, why should i be scared for our own army? I have many family members in the LAF
10 years
Buy some real weapons from Russia or something instead.
10 years
I hope they have a worthwhile list of arms and training needed as well as set dates for shipments (I do not care for them to advertise it but I hope they are going by a set deadline)
10 years
@wolf: still wrapped up in a white strait jacket?
10 years
Don't worry mr. American wahabi you shouldn't be so mad everytime people set out facts on you.
let us see if the cabinet is de-blocked now after the talks with the Iranians.