By Xinhua,
Beirut : Lebanese President Michel Suleiman expressed Saturday his appreciation over French supports to Lebanon, local New TV reported.
Suleiman thanked France in a speech at a lunch banquet at the presidential palace in honor of visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
“Lebanon appreciates France’s support at Paris-III and will fulfill its commitment towards its partners and international institutions,” Suleiman told Sarkozy.
Suleiman said that the Arab-brokered Doha accord has returned political stability to Lebanon, promising to continue to work on restoring peace.
He also stressed that Lebanon proved its commitment to “human rights, democracy and freedom, and to fighting terrorism.”
For his part, Sarkozy reiterated France’s support to Lebanon and promised to maintain French commitments, saying that “we should implement Paris-3 and this is the responsibility of premier Seniora.”
The French president also affirmed his believe in Lebanon’s future by saying that France will start as of next week to send ministers and delegates to discuss with Lebanese leaders ways of cooperation and aid.
A total of 14 Lebanese leaders who signed the Doha accord joined the official banquet gathering the French president and his high ranking delegation.
Sarkozy, who arrived in Beirut earlier on Saturday, is the first Western head of state to meet newly-elected President MichelSuleiman who took office on May 25.
Lebanon’s rival factions and politicians reached an agreement in Doha on May 21, ending a long political deadlock in the country.
The first phase of the agreement led to electing Suleiman as the new president on Sunday after six months of presidential vacuum. The second step is to form a national unity government with veto power for the opposition.
The rival leaders also agreed to adopt 1960 electoral law in the Doha accord, which came after the long political crisis in the country turned violent earlier in May.