Army Chief Meets Military, Security Officials in the UK
Lebanese Army chief General Joseph Aoun visited the United Kingdom at the invitation of his British counterpart General Nick Carter, the Lebanese Army said in a statement Tuesday.
In addition to meeting with Carter, Aoun met with Commander of Maritime Operations for the Royal Navy Admiral Simon Asquith, the UK PM’s foreign policy adviser David Quarrey, in addition to meetings with high-ranking military and security officials, said the army.
Discussions focused on the Kingdom's support for the Lebanese army, and the ways to expand partnership in combating terrorism and support the security of the land and sea borders.
Talks have also focused on the significance of the army’s role in protecting human rights and the right to peaceful protests, in addition to adopting transparency as a fundamental principle during the implementation of all missions.
“The Lebanese and British armies have a long and honorable history of cooperation. During this visit we discussed the best ways to continue strengthening our relationship in the field of defense. We continue our joint work and training, and we will remain committed to providing support for our friends in that region with the aim of combating extremism and enhancing border security,” said Carter.
For his part, General Aoun expressed deep gratitude to his British counterpart for his invitation, noting the strong ties that bind the two armies.
Aoun said Lebanon appreciates the “effective UK contribution in supporting its border security, as it aims to strengthen cooperation to continue support for the Lebanese army in light of major challenges it faces, especially in terms of combating terrorism and border security.”
Chris Rampling, British ambassador to Lebanon, said Aoun’s visit to the UK “comes at a sensitive time. Many challenges are facing the Lebanese army. In recent weeks, we have witnessed the continuing terrorist threat in Lebanon, while the economic situation has exacerbated pressure on the Lebanese security institutions. The United Kingdom is a friend of Lebanon, and will continue to stand by its people in difficult times.”
Between 2016-2020, the UK has allocated more than $100 million to train and equip Lebanon’s military, especially elements of the Land Border Regiments to help control illegal infiltration.
Experts from the United Kingdom have also supervised the construction of 41 border control towers and 38 advanced centers along the northern and eastern borders, and provided 13 mobile monitoring systems.
A specialized center for training land border regiments has also been established in the Bekaa region, where more than 8,000 of these regiments are undergoing training to carry out security-related border operations.
By the end of 2020, the UK will have completed training of 14,000 security personnel.
