Maarab: Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea received in Maarab French Member of the European Parliament and Vice President of the European Parliament Fran§ois-Xavier Bellamy, who is also Vice President of the French party "The Republicans," in the presence of former Minister Richard Kouyoumjian, Head of the External Relations Office, Elsie Aoun, and External Relations official Tony Darwish.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the meeting focused on political and security developments in Lebanon, the wider region, and Europe, along with current challenges and their impact on Lebanon.
Following the talks, Bellamy stressed that "Lebanon urgently needs to restore its security and sovereignty," adding that the Lebanese state must re-establish exclusive control over weapons across its territory, which he described as the only guarantee for the security of all Lebanese citizens.
He said that "the Lebanese and friends of Lebanon have come to realize that the weapons carried by militias claiming to protect Lebanon no longer serve as protection, but have become the main threat," calling for the disarmament of Hezbollah, which he said "serves an agenda foreign to the interests of the Lebanese people."
Bellamy also noted that after visiting southern Lebanon he had seen the difficult conditions faced by residents in border villages, expressing hope for the return of peace and stability, which he said can only be achieved through the restoration of full state sovereignty and monopoly over arms.
He thanked Geagea and the Lebanese Forces leadership and members for what he described as their "continuous struggle for Lebanon's sovereignty," adding that many in France and Europe share concerns about the current situation and hope for a better future for Lebanon.