Aoun Meets Senior UK Officer
President Michel Aoun on Monday met with Lieutenant General Sir John Lorimer, Britain's senior defence adviser to the Middle East accompanied by the UK ambassador to Lebanon, Chris Rampling and the accompanying delegation, the National News Agency said.
Discussions focused on the general situation in Lebanon and the region and the support given by the United Kingdom to the Lebanese army and government, NNA said.
“Lebanon backs initiatives that aim to support stability in the region,” NNA quoted President Aoun as telling his visitors.
On the presence of displaced Syrians on Lebanese soil, Aoun said: “Although more than 318,000 refugees have returned back to their homeland, but more than 1.6 million refugees still live in Lebanon.”
For his part Lorimer said: “The UK will continue to support Lebanon and is interested in preserving its economic situation.”
Last week, Lebanon’s Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab visited the United Kingdom and met with Secretary of State for Defence Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster, and Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter.
Britain’s ambassador to Lebanon, Chris Rampling, said “the visit reflects the value Britain places on the relationship with Lebanon and in particular our defence cooperation.”
He assured that the UK remains a steadfast supporter to Lebanon through ongoing social, economic, educational and humanitarian projects, in addition to further support to the Lebanese Armed Forces and other security agencies.
