Lebanese Army, French Officials to Agree on Arms Deal Protocols this Month
The Lebanese Army Command and a French delegation are seeking to reach common ground over the protocols regarding the implementation of a $3 billion arms deal under a Saudi grant.
An Nahar newspaper reported that consecutive meetings are being held to finalize the deal ahead of December 16, pointing out that the French delegation will send the agreement to Saudi and French authorities to kick off the arming process.
The French delegation comprises of 30 representatives of the French state and the military industry. They are in Lebanon to finalize the quality of arms the Lebanese military needs from the Saudi grant's remaining 150-300 million dollars, the daily previously reported.
France and Saudi Arabia signed the agreement at the beginning of November for Paris to provide the Lebanese military with the $3 billion worth of weapons paid for by Riyadh.
The deal, which was first announced last year December, aims to boost the army as it struggles to contain a rising tide of violence linked to the civil war in Syria.
H.K.
G.K.
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