BEIRUT: Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to enhancing political and friendly ties with Mexico to facilitate trade and investment between the two countries.
A joint statement outlined the objectives of a meeting between Bassil and Mexico’s Foreign Minister José Antonio Meade Kuribre?a that emphasized boosting political and friendly relationships as well as cooperation between Lebanon and Mexico.
Lebanon and Mexico will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries on June 12, 2015.
The statement said the “70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations is an excellent opportunity to strengthen political dialogue through high-level meetings between representatives of the two governments.”
It pointed to the “importance of holding regular meetings between the two foreign ministers on the sidelines of global conferences,” stressing that such meetings will significantly improve understanding between Lebanon and Mexico.
The statement also underlined the need to enhance educational and scientific cooperation as well as to identify projects and activities in specific sectors that would serve common interests.
In the statement, Kuribre?a said that Lebanon “is the natural gateway to Mexico toward the Middle East and could play a central role in enhancing trade and Mexican investments in other parts of the world such as Africa, for example, just like Mexico is Lebanon’s gateway to America."
At the global level, the two sides reaffirmed the common need to address global challenges such as threats to international peace and security, sustainable development and climate change, human rights violations and international humanitarian law.
The two ministers deplored the “barbaric acts” committed by terrorist groups and called for strong global response to the spread of these groups in order to ensure respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.
They agreed that "these groups represent a threat to international peace and security in the Middle East and in the world," according to the statement.
Bassil and Kuribre?a also condemned violence targeting civilians in Syria and said the need for a political solution to the Syrian crisis.
The two ministers expressed concern about the influx of Syrian refugees who fled the war to neighboring countries and offered their commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon.
Following the meeting, two memorandums of understanding were signed: The first between the Diplomatic Academy and the foreign ministries of both Lebanon and Mexico; and the second on providing support services to the communities of both countries.
During a banquet in his honor, Bassil urged Kuribre?a to convince Mexico to lift the arms embargo on the Lebanese Army.
Bassil met separately with Mexico’s Energy Minister of Lebanese descent, Pedro Joaqu?n Coldwell, after which they signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation and the exchange of expertise, particularly since Mexico was the center of offshore drilling news last year and given its experience in the demarcation of maritime boundaries.
Bassil also held talks with Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal. The two men stressed the need to boost trade, activate economic relations and open Lebanese banks in Mexico.
Later Monday, Bassil said during a lecture that Lebanon’s stability was “directly linked to developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
We are ready for peace and we will continue to protect our country through an independent foreign policy and not through passive neutrality.
He said dialogue between the people “is the only way to achieve peace while some groups, organizations and even countries reject this idea.”
“We will continue to protect Lebanon and protect these principles through an independent foreign policy and not through passive neutrality,” Bassil said.
