Report: France Studying Possibility of Providing Lebanese Army with HOT Missiles
President Michel Suleiman and his French counterpart Francois Hollande discussed during the former’s visit to France on Thursday the possibility of the European country providing the Lebanese army with HOT missiles, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Sunday.
An informed French source told the daily that France’s political powers are keen on resolving this issue, while the military powers remain hesitant on this matter.
The political circles have rejected claims that the missiles, estimated to be about a hundred, may fall into the hands of Hibzullah seeing as reports have stated that the party possesses over 60,000 rockets and therefore is in no need for them.
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri had previously discussed the issue of France’s providing Lebanon with the long-range anti-tank missile with former French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
His government had agreed to provide the Lebanese army with the rockets, despite Israeli reservations and attempted to thwart the agreement.
Then French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe had approved the deal, granting the green light for their delivery to Lebanon, but the government change in Lebanon in 2011 halted the operation.
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