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Lebanese President Boycotts Sharm El-Sheikh Summit

Prime Minister Saad Hariri talks with President Michel Aoun in downtown Beirut, Lebanon November 22, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
Prime Minister Saad Hariri talks with President Michel Aoun in downtown Beirut, Lebanon November 22, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
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Lebanese President Boycotts Sharm El-Sheikh Summit

Prime Minister Saad Hariri talks with President Michel Aoun in downtown Beirut, Lebanon November 22, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
Prime Minister Saad Hariri talks with President Michel Aoun in downtown Beirut, Lebanon November 22, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo

Prime Minister Saad Hariri will lead Lebanon’s delegation to the Arab-European Dialogue Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, while sources said that President Michel Aoun has decided not to attend in response to the Egyptian president’s absence from the Socioeconomic Development Summit in Beirut earlier this year.
 
According to informed sources, Hariri will grab the opportunity to urge the heads of Arab and European delegations to give impetus to the projects that received funding at the CEDRE Conference held in Paris last April.
 
Meanwhile, EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Affairs Federica Mogherini will visit Beirut on Feb. 25-26, to discuss with the concerned officials the roadmap for supporting Hariri’s government and to address socioeconomic challenges, and institutional reforms.
 
In the same context, a diplomatic source said that French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will visit Beirut after the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, while contacts between Beirut and Paris are underway to set an official date for the trip, during which Le Drian will convey French President Emmanuel Macron’s compliments on the formation of the new government.
 
Moreover, Lebanese ministerial sources pointed to communication between Beirut and Riyadh to revive the bilateral joint committee, as 23 draft agreements and MoUs are waiting to be signed on cooperation in the fields of defense, justice, trade, maritime transport, land, customs and culture.

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Lebanon Condemns Attacks on UN Peacekeeping Mission

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) convoy drives through the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun on November 20, 2024, as the war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group continues. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) convoy drives through the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun on November 20, 2024, as the war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group continues. (AFP)
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Lebanon Condemns Attacks on UN Peacekeeping Mission

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) convoy drives through the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun on November 20, 2024, as the war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group continues. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) convoy drives through the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun on November 20, 2024, as the war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group continues. (AFP)

Lebanon on Monday condemned attacks on the United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL) stationed in its south, including last week's rocket strike in which four Italian soldiers were lightly injured.

The 10,000-strong multi-national UNIFIL mission is monitoring hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel, an area hit by fierce clashes between the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah party and Israeli forces.

Since Israel launched a ground campaign across the border against Hezbollah at the end of September, UNIFIL soldiers have suffered several attacks coming from both sides.

"Lebanon strongly condemns any attack on UNIFIL and calls on all sides to respect the safety, security of the troops and their premises," Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said during a conference in Rome.

Bou Habib spoke before attending a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Anagni, southeast of Rome, along with other colleagues from the Middle East, which was set to discuss conflicts in the region.

Bou Habib added: "Lebanon condemns recent attacks on the Italian contingent and deplores such unjustified hostilities."

Italy said Hezbollah was likely responsible for the attack carried out on Friday against its troops in UNIFIL.

Beirut's foreign minister called for implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended a previous war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006 with a ceasefire that has faced challenges and violations over the years.

"Lebanon is ready to fulfil its obligations stipulated in the above-mentioned resolution," Bou Habib said.

"This literally means and I quote: 'There will be no weapons without the consent of the government of Lebanon and no authority other than that of the government of Lebanon'."

Hezbollah, militarily more powerful than Lebanon's regular army, says it is defending the country from Israeli aggression. It vows to keep fighting and says it will not lay down arms or allow Israel to achieve political gains on the back of the war.