Moqbel, French Official Deny Freeze in Delivery of Arms
Defense Minister Samir Moqbel and a French official have denied a report that Saudi Arabia has asked French authorities to freeze the delivery of weapons to the Lebanese army under a Saudi grant.
Al-Liwaa daily on Friday quoted Moqbel as saying that information about the freeze of the delivery of arms is not true.
“The plan to provide arms to the military is ongoing without obstacles or changes,” Moqbel said.
He condemned what he called fabrications aimed at achieving political ends.
A French official, who was not identified, also denied to al-Liwaa the report published in As Safir daily on Thursday on the delivery of arms.
The newspaper had quoted informed French sources as saying that Paris received an official message from Riyadh in May asking it to freeze the delivery of the rest of the arms.
The letter also requested France not to inform Lebanese authorities about the decision to freeze the delivery, they said.
The Lebanese army received the first batch of weapons, including Milan anti-tank missiles, under the $3 billion Saudi grant in April.
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