Report: French Officials Discussing Delivery of more Arms to Lebanon

W300

French officials have been holding talks with their counterparts in Beirut away from the media spotlight to follow up the delivery of French weapons to the Lebanese army under a Saudi grant, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

Lebanon received in April the first shipment of $3 billion worth of French arms under the Saudi-financed deal to boost the country's defensive capabilities to combat terror threats.

Lebanon's allies are seeking to bolster the country's defenses against the Islamic State group and other jihadists pressing along its Syrian border.

France is expected to deliver 250 combat and transport vehicles, seven Cougar helicopters, three small Corvette warships and a range of surveillance and communications equipment over four years as part of the $3 billion modernization program.

The contract also promises seven years of training for the 70,000-strong Lebanese army and 10 years of equipment maintenance.

Newly appointed French Ambassador to Lebanon Emmanuel Bonne, who arrived in Beirut last week, has stressed that the implementation of the deal was ongoing.

Bonne said the Lebanese army is the main institution safeguarding the security of Lebanon and of all the Lebanese.

G.K.

D.A.

Comments 24
Thumb EagleDawn over 8 years

But the incredible credible flamethrower thinks otherwise!

..-flamethrower-.
"France is currently discussing with Lebanon the delivery of arms to the Lebanese military under a $3 billion Saudi grant."
another M14 lie in the light of what KSA said: they will not activate the grant without an (M14) president.

Thumb Mystic over 8 years

More scrap metal from the French scrapyards & landfills.

Ofcourse the March 14 stooges will wait as little baby birds for their mother France and father Saudi to deliver them junk in their little nests.

Thumb marcus over 8 years

more propaganda from Mystic. How do you think the LAF have been able to withstand the threats at the borders and almost on a daily basis shelling the intruders. Where do they get their ammunition from?
Surely not from hezbollah iranian supplied depots.!

Thumb Mystic over 8 years

If your beloved Kingdom of Wahabism, is so strong and powerful. Then how come they and Israel always keeps begging on the U.S to come and attack Iran?
They do not have the guts to do it themselves texas, they are all talk, just like you.
They are fast to attack the poorest Arab country, whom lack of basic human needs and real military equipement, no Iran did not supply them, the Ansarullah got their own weapons along with the Yemeni Army whom are all against the corrupted Hadi saudi thugs and Al Qaeda.
You should rather count on Israel and the Takfiris to attack the Resistance, because the Lebanese Army aint going to do it, you might aswell wait a 100 years for that.

Might even see Iran supply the LAF, since the sanctions have been lifted and all.

Thumb -phoenix1 over 8 years

Mystic, if scrap metal is making my army better and better, so be it. If Sate-of-the-art weapons as claimed by Israel makes your Hezbollah white elephants, then so be it. You ya Mystic are so predictable, anything that renders our army better is always scrap. Let's state it plain on paper, you are a Hezbollah partisan, one of your reason to be able to stay around and enslave Lebanon is because the army was weak, so an army that is growing more and more potent doesn't bode well for your militia for rent. In due time my friend, in due time, the day when that feared confrontation between your militia and the LAF will come to a head, you people will turn around only to find that only Shiites will support Hezbollah whereas most non-Shiite Lebanese will rally behind their army. That day will come and we know that you loathe it. In the meantime, you can get your trolling machine fired up, plus the dirty tongue as well, as I said, you are so predictable.

Thumb -phoenix1 over 8 years

Mystic, please tell you trolls to have some dignity, 3ayb aleykoun, this is cheap and low, very low. Tell your friends.

Thumb Maxx over 8 years

At least these weapons won't be used to kill Lebanese people like the weapons Iran provided Hizb with for May 2008.

Default-user-icon merkin (Guest) over 8 years

3 billion dollars yea right. Where is that 1 billion dollars or the 3 billion dollars promised over a year ago. Stop embarrassing yourself dude.

Thumb barrymore over 8 years

Thank you KSA and Thank you France

Default-user-icon flamethrower (Guest) over 8 years

loooooooooooooool 7elwe mennak @merkin

Thumb justin over 8 years

إرتفاع عدد قتلى "حزب الله" في معارك الزبداني إلى 6 خلال 24 ساعة.

Default-user-icon illegitimate but legal southern (Guest) over 8 years

very funny southern

Thumb -phoenix1 over 8 years

Southern, we know that you know that a stronger army means a weaker Hezbollah, no wonder your side always jumps to attention when the army receives more weapons. You people are so short on argument,a s if the army is going to invite you to inspect their new weapons, just as your mercenary army for rent gets its lots secretively, so does our army, when a dumb person perceives everyone to be dumb, then only that perceiver is deemed dumb. The army is working on one day being the only legitimate armed force in Lebanon, then it will impose its will, first starting from Hezbollah. Your posts lately have devoid of any substance, if any.

Thumb _mowaten_ over 8 years

"a stronger army means a weaker Hezbollah" > nope. that's your dream, because you want to imagine that army and hezbollah are enemies, whereas they are allies. stronger army means stronger hezbollah means stronger country, we're all on the same side, unlike you m14ers who keep finding all sorts of pretexts to start internal fights.

and btw, you keep saying we dont want the army to be armed, when in reality it is very clearly the opposite: we are demanding REAL WEAPONS for it, not the obsolete junk they're sending.

Thumb galaxy over 8 years

One has to ask if you claim the weapons the LAF are receiving are junk and you want REAL WEAPONS then ask hizbullah the magnificent resistance that possess REAL WEAPONS to give some to the LAF instead of using them to kill Syrian civilians.. but who said you have any logic!

Thumb EagleDawn over 8 years

"and btw, you keep saying we dont want the army to be armed, when in reality it is very clearly the opposite"

I would bet anything that each and every word besides " the" in this sentence is a lie.

Thumb _mowaten_ over 8 years

you said it yourself texaspsychousa, and yet you blame iran for not having helped? help was offered by iran, and help was refused by m14 traitors of the govt. responsibilities here are very clear.

Thumb -phoenix1 over 8 years

Mowaten, your malaise can be felt miles away. Now dear Mowaten, how every time the army receives weapons, you call the obsolete? What proofs do you have, any proofs? We've seen Iran send your militia for rent obsolete weapons and rockets, why didn't you complain? There was a time when the army and Hezbollah had a better relationship, but that is hanging gradually, Lebanon is weak because of Hezbollah, you guys join the fold and see how quickly lrbanon will rise. Sorry to tell you this Mowaten, Hezbollah is still dreaming of Wilayet El Faqih and for a while you thought Aoun could be your vehicle to attaining this aim, too bad for you, it's all gone now. Personally I am not dreaming, that is what you wish of me, but you know that what I am saying is form truth.

Thumb freedomarch over 8 years

God bless our Lebanese Army, no matter what.

Thumb galaxy over 8 years

you see they vote down the person not the content!

Thumb -phoenix1 over 8 years

Galaxy, those doing this are sewer rats.

Thumb freedomarch over 8 years

@Mo Wati n, up.
DEAR mowatin, How is it that sharing control with Lebanese Army will weaken the Army,..When Hizbolah here, have different comad, orders, doctrine 100 religious, 1 sided, clearly not accepted or represent or liked by all Lebanese, Unlike the Legitimate Lebanese Armed Forces? Let us all here you most logical and smart take.

Thumb freedomarch over 8 years

@Mo Wati n, up. 
DEAR mowatin, How is it that sharing control with Lebanese Army will weaken the Army,..When Hizbolah here, have different comad, orders, doctrine 100 percent religious, 1 sided, clearly not accepted or represent or liked by all Lebanese, Unlike the Legitimate Lebanese Armed Forces? Let us all here you most logical and smart take.

Thumb -phoenix1 over 8 years

** Corrected text.*** Mowaten, your malaise can be felt miles away. Now dear Mowaten, how every time the army receives weapons, you call the weapons obsolete? What proofs do you have, any proofs? We've seen Iran send your militia for rent obsolete weapons and rockets, why didn't you complain? There was a time when the army and Hezbollah had a better relationship, but that is changing gradually, and against your wishes too. Yes, Lebanon is weak because of Hezbollah, you guys join the fold and see how quickly Lebanon will rise. Sorry to tell you this Mowaten, Hezbollah is still dreaming of Wilayet El Faqih and for a while you thought Aoun could be your vehicle to attaining this aim, too bad for you, it's all gone now. Personally I am not dreaming, that is what you wish of me, but you know that what I am saying is the truth.