Caretaker Minister of National Defense, Maurice Sleem, on Tuesday met at his office in Yarzeh, with the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and his accompanying delegation, in the presence of the Commander of UNIFIL Forces, Major General Aroldo Lázaro,
Caretaker Minister Sleem underlined ‘the important role played by the United Nations Interim Force in South Lebanon (UNIFIL),’ stressing that ‘Lebanon adheres to this force and considers its role essential for the return of calm and stability in the existing and ongoing cooperation with the Lebanese army in all fields.’
Minister Sleem affirmed “Lebanon’s commitment to all international legitimacy resolutions, especially UN Security Council Resolution No. 1701, with all its provisions,” stressing “the necessity of stopping the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and completely withdrawing from the occupied Lebanese territories.”
Sleem stressed “the essential role of the international community to stop the war in Gaza
and search for political solutions on the basis of the two-state solution.”
In turn, Lacroix hailed the close coordination between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army in order to maintain calm and stability in the UNIFIL area of operations, pointing to ‘the efforts of the international community to reduce the escalation in the south.’
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon