Qahwaji from Rome: Determined to Prevent Spillover from Syria Conflict to Lebanon

Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji stressed on Monday that the military is determined to prevent the war ongoing in the neighboring country Syria from engulfing Lebanon.

Qahwaji expressed optimism over the future, pointing out that his visit to the Italian capital Rome is to tackle the bilateral ties between the army of the two countries, in particular ahead of a conference set to be held in Italy to support the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Italy had confirmed recently that the Rome conference aims at fortifying the capabilities of LAF and easing the Syrian refugees crisis.

The number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon had surged to around 900,000 according to the United Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR) as Lebanon has been facing difficulties in coping with their burden.

Concerning the Saudi grant to the Lebanese army, Qahwaji stressed that discussions with the French are going on the right track.

President Michel Suleiman revealed in late December that Saudi Arabia has decided to donate three billion dollars with the aim of purchasing French weapons for the Lebanese army as soon as possible.

Qahwaji said his remarks during a meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi held on Sunday in Rome.

For his party, al-Rahi voiced solidarity with the army, stressing that the military is the sole protector of the Lebanese and their dignity.

The Patriarch hailed the efforts carried out by the army to safeguard the country, offering his condolences to Qahwaji over the death of an officer and a soldier at an army post in the eastern town of Hermel in the Bekaa.

On Saturday, a suicide bomber blew up a car rigged with explosives at an army checkpoint at the entrance to Hermel, in an attack that was claimed by a group calling itself al-Nusra Front in Lebanon, an apparent offshoot of the Syria-based extremist organization.