The French Foreign Minister, Stéphane Séjourné, stressed this Sunday from Beirut, where he is on an official visit, that “no one wants an escalation, not even Hezbollah”, in reference to the Lebanese Shiite militia party. “No one wants an escalation, not even Hezbollah,” said Séjourné at a press conference from the Lebanese Presidential Palace in what is his second visit to the country of cedar since he took office in January, according to the Lebanese newspaper ‘L’Orient’. le Jour’. Séjourné has explained that he is going to present a proposal to the Lebanese authorities to reduce tension between Hezbollah and Israel and avoid a possible war. “If you look at how the situation is today, if there were not a war in Gaza, we could talk about war in southern Lebanon given the number of attacks and the impact on the region,” Séjourné warned after visiting the ‘blue helmets’ deployed in Naqura. “A few weeks ago we were talking about a risk, but today the escalation is very present,” Séjourné highlighted. “Preserving Lebanon is France’s responsibility,” he added. In particular he mentioned the night of April 13-14, when Iran launched projectiles at Israel that were intercepted by anti-aircraft defenses. “It was a turning point. We rejected the worst scenario (…). Nobody is interested in an escalation, not even Hezbollah,” he concluded. “I am going to send messages and make proposals to the authorities to stabilize this area and avoid a war,” he added after meeting with officials of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Séjourné has thus highlighted the importance of UNIFIL’s mission which “plays a decisive role in avoiding the worst scenario.” The commander of UNIFIL, Spanish General Aroldo Lázaro, has highlighted the presence of Séjourné. “It is a pleasure to welcome the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, to UNIFIL today,” he also noted in of France and its “contribution with almost 700 peacekeepers working to restore security and stability along the Blue Line,” which demarcates the separation between Lebanon and Israel. “We continue to support the Lebanese Army, whose presence in the south is necessary for stability,” Séjourné added, although he warned that “without a president or a government Lebanon will not be invited to the negotiating table”, in reference to the continuing Lebanese political crisis.
