Hajj Hassan meets French Senator Bockel

Minister of Industry, Hussein Hajj Hassan, on Tuesday met with French Senator Jean-Marie Bockel, with whom he discussed the current general political and economic situation.

"Lebanon has recovered stability and it is very importance to hold this dialogue to discuss the public policies and the victories the Lebanese army scored against Daesh," Bockel told reporters following the meeting.

"We, the French, are very happy with this victory and this commitment," he stressed.

"We discussed the ties linking the Lebanese to France, as well as cultural, economic, and social affairs, in addition to the role of Europe and France in developing the Lebanese economy and making peace in Lebanon," he said.

"My visit today comes prior to the important trip the Lebanese President will make and the talks he will hold with French President Emmanuel Macron and the French officials," he added.

"We agreed on some points and disagreed on others; but what matters is that we agreed on carrying on dialogue and discussions," he said.

For his part, Hajj Hassan said, "We confirmed to the Senator that the security situation is better thanks to the efforts of the security apparatuses."

"I explained to him the operations conducted by the Resistance against al-Nusra Front and those carried out by the Lebanese army to drag Daesh out of the Lebanese soil," he added.

"We also discussed the economic situation, and I explained to him the existing difficulties and challenges. I also asked him to convey a message to the European and French authorities about the importance of supporting the exportation of Lebanese products to Europe and France," he indicated.

"We also dwelt on the refugees' issue in Lebanon, and we maintained that this crisis should be resolved for the interest of Lebanon and Syria," he concluded

Source: NNA