Lebanese Defense Minister Meets Czech Counterpart to Discuss UNIFIL Future and Defense Cooperation

Minister of National Defense Major General Michel Menassa led a delegation of officers to participate in the "Future Forces 2026" exhibition held in the Czech capital, Prague, with official and military delegations from various countries around the world.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, Major General Menassa met with President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, conveying greetings from Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun.

The Minister also met with his Czech counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Jaromir Zuna, in the presence of Lebanon's Ambassador to the Czech Republic Karim Khalil. The meeting addressed bilateral relations and ways to develop defense cooperation between the two countries, as well as an exchange of views on several issues of common interest, particularly the situation in southern Lebanon and the future of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), along with options for the post-mission phase.

For his part, the Czech Minister affirmed his country's support for "any project aimed at finding an alternative formula for the post-UNIFIL phase, involving European Union participation, which would contribute to maintaining stability in southern Lebanon and enhancing security in the region."

In the context of his visit to Prague, Minister Menassa visited the Lebanese Embassy, where he met with Ambassador Karim Khalil, thanking him for the efforts made in preparing for the visit and appreciating the good organization and coordination that contributed to its success.