Lebanon invited to Paris army support talks

Lebanon said Wednesday it had received an invitation from France to attend a preparatory meeting in Paris on September 17 for an international conference on support for the Lebanese army.

The Lebanese presidency said President Joseph Aoun received a letter from French President Emmanuel Macron through France's charge d'affaires in Lebanon, Bruno Da Silva.

Aoun thanked Macron for the invitation and said the Lebanese army needed international support to obtain the capabilities and resources required to carry out its responsibilities. The presidency said the army needs operational support, logistical equipment, training and capacity building.

Army chiefs from several countries, representatives of governmental and international organisations and experts are expected to attend the meeting, according to the Lebanese presidency. France did not announce anything on Wednesday related to the conference.

The Paris conference had been expected in March but was delayed. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot visited Lebanon in February to prepare for the event.

Beirut received pledges of international support for its troops after Lebanon's government committed last year to disarming Hezbollah and tasked the army with the process. In June, Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement that calls for Hezbollah's disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon and deployment of the Lebanese army to the region, starting in “pilot zones”.