Salim Meets Lavrov and Al-Hamidi: We Want Any International Force in the South to Operate Under a UN Security Council Resolution

Prime Minister Najib Salim held a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, attended by Foreign Minister Joseph Rizk, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The meeting discussed bilateral relations between Lebanon and Russia and ways to strengthen them, as well as the latest developments in Lebanon and the region.

Salim emphasized "the importance of maintaining an international presence in the south after the conclusion of UNIFIL's mandate, which contributes to preserving stability, ensures continuity of monitoring, reporting, and communication tasks, and supports the process of extending Lebanese state authority over its entire territory."

Salim also met with UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashmi, attended by Lebanon’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ahmad Arfa.

The discussion focused on ways to enhance cooperation between Lebanon and the UAE in digital transformation and government service development, leveraging UAE expertise in digitizing transactions and streamlining procedures to reduce processing time and improve services for citizens.

Al Hashmi expressed the UAE’s readiness to support Lebanon and share expertise in this field.

In a televised statement on the substance of his visit to New York, Salim said: "We are here today to affirm that there is a new Lebanon we are building on two parallel tracks: the track of internal reform, and the track of restoring Lebanese sovereignty."

He added: "There is also a fundamental issue concerning the United Nations, specifically what comes after UNIFIL in the south, given that its mandate ends at the end of the year. We need to maintain an international presence in the south to carry out monitoring, reporting, and communication tasks, and we do not want any vacuum to emerge after UNIFIL’s mission ends."

He continued: "Therefore, we are already preparing for the next phase and seeking an appropriate framework for this international presence. I am aware of various proposals circulating regarding a European, French, Italian, or other force, but our position is clear: we want any international force in the south to operate under the umbrella of a resolution issued by the UN Security Council."