Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib held a joint press conference with EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, following their meeting at the Foreign Ministry.
Bou Habib described Borrell's visit as "a significant message for Lebanon”, noting that “lasting peace in the region requires resolving the Palestinian issue.” Bou Habib also reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
In turn, Borrell emphasized that "the full implementation of Resolution 1701 should pave the way for a comprehensive settlement, including the demarcation of land borders." He also noted that "the Lebanese people seek peace, stability, and development, not war," expressing concerns over "further regional escalation due to the war in Gaza."
Borrell reiterated the European Union's support for Lebanon, stating, "The EU stands with the Lebanese people."
The EU diplomat also urged all parties to work towards de-escalation and called on Lebanese leaders to "act in the interest of Lebanon and its citizens, not external interests."
Highlighting the need for economic reform, Borrell added, "Rebuilding the economy and restructuring banks are essential. We are ready to continue supporting Lebanon, but overcoming internal obstacles is a challenge only the Lebanese can address."
The following is Minister Bou Habib's full speech:
"High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Vice-President of the Commission
Excellency, dear Josep,
Welcome to back to Beirut....
Your farewell visit to Lebanon signals an important message that you have been carrying out during your whole mandate as head of the European Union diplomacy. It is reflected in the enduring commitment to Lebanon’s safety, security and prosperity.
Our meeting today is an opportunity to thank you for being a voice of reason and wisdom. You rightly foresaw that there is no military solution to resolve the Palestinian issue. Peace and security are interlinked. There is no security without the end of occupation as a necessary pre-condition to achieve an enduring peace.
We also look forward to continue our positive engagement with the new EU administration in order to reach sustainable solutions in the Middle East. Giving peace a chance means taking serious, fast measures and actions for the fulfilment of the long overdue Palestinian statehood. Israeli must recognize that there will be no end to the conflict without justice for the Palestinians.
Regarding Lebanon, I avail myself of this opportunity to reiterate Lebanon’s commitment to the comprehensive and balanced implementation of UNSC resolution 1701.
Last but not least, we are grateful for the EU continuous support to Lebanon. Lebanon also welcomes the re-evaluation of the EU policy towards Syria at the request of 8 of its members. The EU can play a constructive role to find sustainable solutions for early recovery and to encourage the safe and dignified return of the Syrians who are mostly economically displaced to their homeland. We count on the EU partnership and support.
Thank you, once again dear Josep."
The following are press remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell after meeting with Foreign Minister Bou Habib:
"Thank you. Thank you for hosting me, dear Minister [for Foreign Affairs of Lebanon], dear Abdallah [Bou Habib] – we met recently in Brussels and in Cairo, and we have had frequent phone calls. I appreciate very much your openness and insights, and your strong cooperation in our relations. But most of the time, unfortunately, we have to talk about dramatic developments affecting Lebanon and the people of Lebanon, from the crisis in Syria – unsolved crisis in Syria – and the war in Gaza, which both have negative consequences on your country.
Since I last visited Lebanon in January, the drums of war have not stopped pounding. Since then, the fears I was outlining have been growing – fears of more escalation, fears of regional spill-over of the war in Gaza, and fears of more widespread human suffering. But the Lebanese people want and seek stability, peace, and development, instead of war.
My message today is that the European Union stands on the side of the Lebanese people to help overcome the threats and challenges as much as we can. Minister, you and I agreed that the war in Gaza is a horrific tragedy for Palestinian civilians – and also for the hostages not being released. It is difficult to describe; this horrific situation is something that escapes the capacity to describe. But words are necessary to condemn the killings of civilians, as it has happened again this week, and to urge an immediate end to the war.
But it is also a permanent threat to regional stability, particularly for Lebanon. Across the Blue Line, it triggered the forced displacement of tens of thousands of civilians, who had to flee their homes on both sides of the border. According to the United Nations, more than 4,000 residential buildings have been completely destroyed in South Lebanon. More than 110,000 Lebanese have been forced to leave their homes since October 2023. The same thing happens on the other side of the Blue Line. We need to de-escalate military tensions, and I use this opportunity to urge all sides to pursue this path.
I urge all the Lebanese leaders to work together in the interest of the Lebanese nation and the state of Lebanon – and no one else. The full and symmetrical implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701 should pave the way for a comprehensive settlement, including land border demarcation, the return of displaced people, and the reconstruction of the affected border areas.
Dear Minister, beyond the imminent risks facing Lebanon, allow me to highlight another important point. For Lebanon to secure stability and peace, functioning national institutions need to be restored – including the Presidency of the Republic and the Council of Ministers. There is no way for you to defend Lebanese interests abroad, in the broader world, without being, in the first place, stable and united at home.
You have to fix your economy, and you have to reform your banking sector – this is crucial. I was happy to hear from my interlocutors that they see this as the way to go, and I think this will happen soon. The European Union is ready to continue supporting Lebanon and its leaders to face the challenges of stability for the sake of the resilient Lebanese people – who, like many others in the region, have been kept away from peace and prosperity. But we can only assist in overcoming the internal obstacles if the Lebanese help themselves. Working for the interest of the Lebanese people, and no one else, is the way to go.
Since this will be my last visit to Beirut as High Representative of the European Union, allow me to thank you, dear Abdallah, for your tireless efforts for peace and stability in Lebanon and the region, for our enriching exchanges, and for your insightful friendship. I wish you and your colleagues success from the bottom of my heart. I hope you will be able to push Lebanon toward a path that combines political freedom, economic prosperity, and social cohesion.
Thank you."
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