Colonna did not raise the issue of Hezbollah’s withdrawal from southern border area to the north of Litani

On Monday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna quickly visited Beirut from Israel and held talks with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

According to Al-Joumhouria information, the French Minister’s visit was exploratory, and it was a review of the facts of the ongoing war in Gaza and its developments and repercussions on the region.

During her talks, she started by appreciating the army commander’s extension decision, affirming France’s concern for Lebanon and the necessity of regularizing its political life by expediting the completion of the presidential process.

In this context, she pointed to French and possibly non-French efforts at the beginning of the new year to reinvigorate this file with more significant momentum toward a quick resolution.

In addition, the information confirmed that Colonna did not bring up the issue of Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the southern border area to the north of the Litani either directly or indirectly. Instead, she reiterated what had previously been emphasized in her earlier visit regarding France’s growing concern about the possibility of further deterioration in the south.

She also stressed the need for the Lebanese side to be aware of the seriousness of the situation and to seek to avoid a slide into a wider war. In this context, she emphasized the more accurate implementation of Resolution 1701.