BEIRUT, Lebanon, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Monday his country will continue to support Lebanon and its army to strengthen state authority, even after the U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon completes its mandate in 2027 and German troops withdraw.
Steinmeier said after talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that the end of the UNIFIL mission "does not mean the end of our support for Lebanon," noting the importance of Lebanon being sovereign and stable, "for its own sake and for the stability of the region."
He added, however, that Lebanon would need to make significant efforts to achieve that goal, emphasizing the need to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces, which have been tasked with disarming the Iran-backed Hezbollah after its recent conflict with Israel.
"The Lebanese armed forces are indeed the backbone of stability in Lebanon, and after the end of the UNIFIL mission, we must decide how to strengthen this backbone and lifeline," Steinmeier said during a joint news conference with Aoun at the Presidential Palace.
Steinmeier said German naval forces are training the Lebanese navy and providing it with equipment, along with surveillance and monitoring capabilities, to help it strengthen its capacities after the UNIFIL mission ends.
