NNA – Deputy Prime Minister, Caretaker Minister of Defense and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Zeina Akar, welcomed today the European Union’s Higher Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, along with his accompanying delegation and the European Union’s Ambassador to Lebanon Ralph Tarraf, upon their arrival at Rafic Hariri International Airport.
Akar then held a meeting with Borrell, which included a working lunch in the presence of Ambassador Tarraf; his Office Director Pedro Serrano; Deputy Director of the Department for Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula for European External Action Karl Hallegard; Member of the European Commission Office Raphael Dyer; Director of Political Affairs at the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Ghadi Khoury; Director of International Organizations, Ambassador Caroline Ziadeh; Director of Protocols Abeer Ali; and Head of the Europe Department Youssef Jabr.
According to Akar’s office, talks centered on the situation in Lebanon in light of the current stifling conditions and the crisis of the displaced Syrians, in addition to the results of the conference in support of the Lebanese Army, which was held at the invitation of France and with the participation of the International Support Group and the United Nations.
Minister Akar explained to Borrell “the deteriorating economic, social and living situation in Lebanon,” and commended “the role of the European Union and the aid it provides, most notably the aid that arrived after the explosion of the Port of Beirut,” stressing “the importance of supporting Lebanon in all ways and the need to help it with the available means to get out of its crises.”
Source: National News Agency (NNA)