Berri hits back at French paper

Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri has submitted Lebanon’s official response to the French proposal aimed at resolving the border dispute between Lebanon and Israel, according to Berri’s aide, MP Ali Hassan Khalil.

Khalil reported that the document was delivered to the French embassy in Beirut. He remarked that while the response viewed the proposal positively, it included specific reservations about certain terms and points. Khalil emphasized that the response highlighted the full implementation of UN Resolution 1701 as a critical pathway to resolving tensions in the southern region.

Khalil further noted that the French proposal serves as a solid foundation for future discussions, improving upon the initial French draft by focusing on a clear roadmap to implement Resolution 1701, rather than just outlining arrangements.

He disclosed that some aspects of the proposal were completely rejected because they contravened the principles of Resolution 1701, although other aspects were seen as negotiable and solvable.

Additionally, Khalil stressed the importance of a ceasefire in Gaza as central to achieving peace, suggesting that adherence to a ceasefire by Israel would be pivotal for progress in implementing Resolution 1701 in southern Lebanon.

Khalil also mentioned that Lebanon is open to increasing the number of UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) troops, albeit with concerns about the proposal to remove the requirement for coordination with the Lebanese Army, as originally stipulated in Resolution 1701.