National News Agency Lebanon (NNA)
November 2, 2018 Friday
Sarraf, Armenian counterpart sign military cooperation agreement
NNA – Caretaker Minister of National Defense, Yaacoub Sarraf, held a meeting with his Armenian counterpart, Davit Tonoyan, in the presence of the caretaker Minister of Tourism and Lebanese and Armenian delegations, where a military cooperation agreement was signed between the two parties.
Sarraf welcomed his Armenian counterpart, hoping that the visit would be positive, particularly in terms of activating military cooperation between the two countries. He proposed the establishment of a joint coordination committee to expand the cooperation framework to include other fields such as tourism, trade and culture.
The minister also underlined the "distinguished status enjoyed by Lebanese citizens of Armenian origin in Lebanon," pointing out that they are "partners in the homeland at all levels."
Tackling the overall Lebanese situation, Sarraf pointed at the continuation of Israeli aggressions and violations, stressing that "Lebanon is in favor of the language of dialogue and compromise and has no hostile intention towards any party, but will defend its sovereignty and rights when necessary," he said.
The Minister of Defense reiterated Lebanon's position on the crisis of Syrian displacement, calling for a radical solution to this issue "because of the negative repercussions of the presence of Syrian refugees in Lebanon on all the sectors."
Highlighting the importance of Lebanon as a stabilizing element in the entire region, he called on neighboring countries to "view it as a model for finding solutions to the crises of the region."
Sarraf also praised the efforts of the Armenian contingent operating within the UNIFIL in southern Lebanon.
For his part, the Armenian Defense Minister said that "the day of signing the agreement is a historic day that paves the way for future agreements," praising the historic relations between the Lebanese and Armenian peoples.