Support Group for Lebanon to Meet on Sidelines of U.N. Assembly, Says Permanent Representative

Nawaf Salam, Lebanon's Permanent Representative to the U.N., that a meeting will be held for the International Support Group for Lebanon on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, which will be opening its sessions in New York on September 16.

Salam said, in comments published in al-Mustaqbal newspaper on Friday, that the meeting will be held to extend further support to Lebanon and its stability and to fortify the capabilities of the army.

“U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon had called for the meeting that will focus on the Syrian refugees crisis, beefing up support to the Lebanese army and strengthening its economy,” he pointed out.

The support group was set up in New York in September 2013 on the sidelines of the 68th session of the General Assembly to help Beirut deal with the implications of the brutal war in Syria that began in March 2011.

It is intended to provide financial, political and security support to the country.

Paris hosted in March the last meeting for the Support Group in the presence of former President Michel Suleiman.

Salam expressed regret that the Lebanese president will not give a speech during the General Assembly meeting due to the ongoing presidential deadlock.

He considered that the deep rift between Lebanese parties prevented the election a new head of state.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam will head the Lebanese delegation to New York if the political arch-foes failed to elect a new president by the time of the meeting.

The premier will head a small delegation that will include Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and a limited number of advisers.

The delegation, according to the Lebanese diplomat, will hold high-level meetings with various heads of state and officials.

The 69th session of the U.N. General Assembly will kick off on September 16 and the general debate will open on September 24.

Lebanon plunged in a vacuum on May 25 when Suleiman's six-year term ended with MPs unable to find a successor over differences on a compromise candidate.

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