During his African visit, President Michel Sleiman stressed the importance of Lebanon’s neutrality regarding the ongoing Syrian crisis, saying that the country must not be a corridor
for arms smuggling or a base to train fighters.

“Lebanon must not be a route for weapons or a base for training fighters, no matter which side they are on,” Sleiman told the Lebanese community in Senegal late Wednesday.

“Neutrality is useful for Lebanon and Syria. The purpose of that is to overcome the Syria crisis without Lebanon being sucked into a crisis,” he added at the welcome banquet in his honor.

The Lebanese president expressed hope that calm would prevail in Syria and that a U.N.-brokered political solution that was binding on all parties would be reached.

As for the upcoming parliamentary elections, Sleiman underlined the importance of reaching an agreement on a new law that “reflects Lebanon’s fabric and enshrines the spirit of the Taif [Accord]; and not a return to sectarian laws”, in a nod to the Orthodox Gathering proposal.

He also called for lowering the voting age to 18, adding that elections should be mandatory for citizens.

Sleiman acknowledged that the large Lebanese expatriate community in West Africa faces an unfair competition at the economic level.

Nevertheless, "I encourage you to continue to work honorably without competing with Senegalese,” he said, while reminding them that they, too, have duties toward their nation.

Sleiman also hailed recent efforts by the Lebanese government following the kidnapping in Nigeria of two Lebanese citizens.

“We have intervened, held contacts with local and international sides, dispatched delegations and we need to do more than that,” he said.