BEIRUT: Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib has reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to fully implementing Security Council Resolution 1701, emphasizing the significant role of the Lebanese army in coordination with UNIFIL forces to maintain calm and security in southern Lebanon.

According to Qatar News Agency, this commitment was reiterated during a phone conversation between Lebanese Foreign Minister Bou Habib and Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. The call addressed the current situation and developments in Lebanon, Syria, and the broader region. Bou Habib highlighted the necessity of halting Israeli violations, which he argued impede the establishment of stability along the borders.

Furthermore, Bou Habib emphasized Lebanon’s urgent need for substantial European and Arab support to reconstruct areas devastated by war, asserting that reconstruction is essential for achieving long-term stability and peace. On the topic of Syria, the Lebanese Foreign Minister stressed the impor
tance of maintaining Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, noting that security in Syria is of mutual interest.

In response, Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg indicated that the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) would deliberate on providing support and assistance to the Lebanese army in an upcoming meeting, reaffirming Austria’s endorsement of this strategy.