UK affirms unwavering support for Lebanon army

The British Ambassador to Lebanon Chris Rampling has affirmed his country’s keenness to provide more support to the Lebanese Armed Forces and to strengthen the joint military and security relations between the two countries, stressing that the Lebanese army remains the only legitimate defender of Lebanon.

The British embassy said in a statement yesterday that Rampling made the remarks after a meeting of the high-level steering committee of the US-British Assistance Programme for the protection of the Lebanese land borders.

The statement said Rampling and US Ambassador Elizabeth Richard met on Wednesday with Lebanese Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, to discuss the progress achieved by the programme which will enter its eighth year.

According to the statement, the British ambassador said during the meeting that the Lebanese army has every right to be proud of its achievements in controlling and securing the Syrian-Lebanese border which led to amending the UK travel guidelines to Lebanon in December last year to include new areas.

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