Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Youssef Raggi received Austria’s Special Representative for the Middle East, Arad Benko, who conveyed the greetings of Austria’s foreign minister and Vienna’s interest in Middle East and Lebanon-related files.
The Austrian side expressed support for Lebanon’s reform path and readiness to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces in expanding deployment across the south and restoring occupied territories. Talks also covered UNIFIL, post-mandate arrangements, Syria, and the Syrian refugee file.
Raggi welcomed Vienna’s role and stressed the importance of supporting the army, voicing hope in the Paris conference expected in March. He urged the European Union to facilitate refugee returns by redirecting aid inside Syria, noting Lebanon’s limited capacity.
Separately, Raggi received copies of credentials from the new Philippine and Armenian ambassadors and met a delegation from Lebanon’s Notaries Council to discuss standardizing documents for missions abroad and future cooperation.
The Austrian side expressed support for Lebanon’s reform path and readiness to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces in expanding deployment across the south and restoring occupied territories. Talks also covered UNIFIL, post-mandate arrangements, Syria, and the Syrian refugee file.
Raggi welcomed Vienna’s role and stressed the importance of supporting the army, voicing hope in the Paris conference expected in March. He urged the European Union to facilitate refugee returns by redirecting aid inside Syria, noting Lebanon’s limited capacity.
Separately, Raggi received copies of credentials from the new Philippine and Armenian ambassadors and met a delegation from Lebanon’s Notaries Council to discuss standardizing documents for missions abroad and future cooperation.
