French FM Catherine Colonna visits Lebanon

Record ID: 1693172

  • Title: French FM Catherine Colonna visits Lebanon
  • Date: 14th October 2022
  • Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (OCTOBER 14, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF COLONNA SPEAKING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE AT END OF HER VISIT, AT BEIRUT RAFIC HARIRI AIRPORT JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER, CATHERINE COLONNA, SAYING: "The message that I have come to convey is simple. The constitutional failure must be respected, it is an imperative necessity for Lebanon. And this message, as you well know, is from a friendly and faithful country that has always been at Lebanon's side in happy times and in difficult times, and which has for the Lebanese people a deep friendship that has always been constant. This friendship authorises us to say that Lebanon can no longer take the risk of a power vacuum and that all Lebanese leaders must live up to their political and institutional responsibilities because the situation calls for it." FLAGS OF LEBANON, FRANCE AND EUROPEAN UNION (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER, CATHERINE COLONNA, SAYING: "France salutes this historic agreement to which you know it has actively contributed in support of the U.S. mediation. This agreement has been concluded, it must now be signed, finalised, and once concluded and implemented, it will be beneficial to the two countries and their populations. This is obviously a major signal for stability and prosperity in the region."
  • Embargoed: 28th October 2022 14:58
  • Keywords: Catherine Colonna France French FM Lebanon Michel Aoun
  • Location: BAABDA AND BEIRUT, LEBANON
  • City: BAABDA AND BEIRUT, LEBANON
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Middle East,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA002231114102022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:French Foreign minister Catherine Colonna met on Friday (October 14) with Lebanese officials, including President Michel Aoun and caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati.
    At the end of her two-day visit to Lebanon, Colonna highlighted the importance of electing a new president on time.
    "The message that I have come to convey is simple. The constitutional failure must be respected... Lebanon can no longer take the risk of a power vacuum and that all Lebanese leaders must live up to their political and institutional responsibilities because the situation calls for it," she said in a news conference at Beirut airport.
    Lebanon's parliament speaker Nabih Berri postponed on Thursday (October 13) a session on electing a new president to Oct. 20, after the house failed to secure a quorum. Aoun's term ends on October 31.
    Speaking about the maritime border deal with Israel, Colonna saluted "this historic agreement."
    "This is obviously a major signal for stability and prosperity in the region," she added.
    Aoun announced on Thursday his country's acceptance of the U.S.-brokered maritime border deal with Israel, saying talks had come to "a positive end."
    The maritime deal will open the door to more exploration on both sides but does not resolve a longstanding disagreement over the land boundary between Israel and Lebanon.
    Aoun's announcement does not officially mean the deal has come into force. According to a draft text seen by Reuters, the understanding will take effect once Lebanon and Israel send letters to Washington, which will issue a notice announcing the deal is in place.
    Israel and Lebanon are then to send the coordinates of the border to the United Nations to be officially recognised.
    (Production: Emilie Madi, Mohamed Azakir, Olga Vyshnevska)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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