FM Rajji meets Austrian envoy, stresses need to support Lebanese Army and return of Syrian refugees

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji met with Arad Benko, the Austrian Foreign Ministry’s special envoy for Middle East affairs, who conveyed greetings from Austria’s foreign minister and reaffirmed Vienna’s interest in Middle East developments and Lebanon in particular.

The Austrian side expressed its support for the Lebanese government’s reform agenda and said Austria is prepared to support the Lebanese army, enabling it to deploy across the entire southern region and restore Lebanese territory that remains under occupation.

The meeting addressed several issues, including the role of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and proposals for the post-UNIFIL phase, as well as the situation in Syria and the issue of Syrian refugees.

Rajji welcomed Vienna’s role and its ability to maintain communication with all parties involved in Middle East affairs. 

He stressed the importance of continued support for the Lebanese army and said he is counting on the Paris conference expected to be held in March.

Rajji also underscored the need for the European Union to assist in facilitating the return of Syrian refugees by redirecting aid inside Syria. 

He expressed surprise at what he described as the insistence by some countries, international organizations and donor bodies on keeping refugees in Lebanon, despite the issue exceeding the Lebanese state’s capacity — particularly after what he said was the removal of the primary reasons that initially drove Syrians to seek refuge in Lebanon.