BEIRUT: Prime Minister Tammam Salam will meet French President Francois Hollande Friday on the third day of an official visit to Paris, as a Lebanese delegation irons out the details of a Saudi-funded French arms package for Lebanon’s Army. Defense Minister Samir Moqbel and high-ranking Lebanese Army officers discussed with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian Thursday the details the arms package, which is being funded through a $3 billion grant from Saudi Arabia.
Moqbel said the mechanism for the delivery of the weapons was nearing agreement, adding that the final list of requested arms would be sent to Saudi Arabia, which would then approve it before the end of January at the latest.
Salam is also expected to discuss the delivery of the French weapons with Le Drian Friday.
Speaking to Lebanese expatriates in Paris, Salam said the arms would be delivered in the coming weeks.
Salam also said the French National Assembly’s foreign affairs commission would form a special committee tasked with following up on Lebanese issues and devising proposals to help the country end its crises.
Salam reiterated the need to elect a new president, adding that he was “unable to sleep comfortably at night knowing that 25 servicemen are held captive and threatened with death.”
Salam was referring to 25 Army and Internal Security Forces members held captive by ISIS and Nusra Front militants on the outskirts of Arsal.
“We will not surrender and we will liberate those heroic servicemen while at the same time preserving Lebanon’s dignity,” Salam said.
The aid package was announced last December by then President Michel Sleiman. According to deal, the Saudi money will be used to buy French weapons, equipment and vehicles for the Lebanese Army, and also cover military training.
The military is in desperate need of assistance now that it is engaged in open-ended battles with militants on the northeastern border.
Salam also visited Abdou Diouf, the secretary-general of La Francophonie, and visited the Arab World Institute, where he met its head Jack Lang.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov holds further meetings with Lebanese officials Friday.
The Russian official paid a two-day visit to Lebanon last week during which he met politicians from rival groups, including Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah.
Sources told the Central News Agency that Bogdanov could meet Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai, Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh and head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea Friday.
Frangieh visited Rai Thursday at the headquarters of the Maronite patriarchate in Bkirki.
A source from the patriarchate said the visit was part of Rai’s efforts to facilitate the election of a president. He added that several Christian leaders have visited Bkirki recently away from media.
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