Paris rules out international force deployment in Lebanon

The French army chief of staff on Wednesday ruled out the deployment of an international force in Lebanon, noting that Paris can provide aid to the Lebanese army after the withdrawal of the Syrian forces, should the Lebanese army be in need of extra cooperation.

The French army official added in a statement to the French magazine Valure Actuele that it will be "a good thing that the European Union will try to help Lebanon in enjoying its full sovereignty," ruling out the dispatching of UN forces to Lebanon. He considered that deployment of UN forces in Lebanon in isolation of reaching a settlement for the Israeli- Palestinian conflict is considered unacceptable.