Upon receiving the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Ségournet, Berri denounced the use by the Tel Aviv army of white phosphorus munitions in its attacks on agricultural and forest areas.

The top Lebanese legislator stressed Lebanon’s interest in the need to extend for a new mandate the mission of the United Nations Interim Force (Unifil) operating in the south in accordance with Resolution 1701.

For his part, Ségournet shared a message of support, solidarity and responsibility from France to Lebanon to achieve peace in the region and insisted on the importance of a ceasefire in Gaza.

In a meeting at the Grand Serail (Government Palace), the interim Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, emphasized to the visitor the importance of supporting the expansion of the Unifil operating in southern Lebanon for a period of one year.

Later, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib exchanged with the French diplomat efforts to calm tensions in the region and avoid an escalation.

According to reports, Ségournet’s visit coincided with the resumption of operations by French airlines with their flights to Beirut.

The two sides reviewed the situation in southern Lebanon and the ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, especially the talks taking place in Doha, as well as the issue of the extension of UNIFIL.

Minister Bou Habib stressed that reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza is of great importance for Lebanon because of its direct repercussions on the situation on its southern borders.

Incidentally, he added that if the ceasefire efforts fail, other solutions must be sought to end the Israeli aggression.

ef/ro/yma