Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with the head of the French military delegation to Supervisory Commission tasked with monitoring the ceasefire, General Brigadier Guillaume Ponchin at the Grand Serail on Thursday.
French Ambassador to Lebanon, Hervé Magro, and the Prime Minister's advisors, Ambassador Boutros Assaker and Ziad Mikati were present at the meeting.
During the meeting, Mikati emphasized that "the priorities of the Lebanese stance are achieving a ceasefire, addressing Israeli violations, ensuring the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Lebanese territories, and strengthening the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south."
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, reached on November 26, came into effect on November 27. The agreement includes a supervisory mechanism with a committee chaired by the United States to ensure proper enforcement of the ceasefire.
On Wednesday, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs issued a joint press release. It states that the ceasefire agreement was the “result of diplomatic efforts undertaken over several months in collaboration with the United States.”
“France calls on all parties to respect the agreement over the long term and to cease any actions that may threaten it,” the statement added.
France's representation within this monitoring mechanism is led by Brigadier General Guillaume Ponchin, supported by a team of about ten military and civilian personnel from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Armed Forces.
According to the statement, the supervisory mechanism will collaborate closely with the Lebanese armed forces, the Israeli Defense Forces, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. It will also work with the Military Technical Support Committee in Lebanon to assist in the enhancement and deployment of the Lebanese armed forces in southern Lebanon. This process is supported by France in line with the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
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