France signs $3B deal with Saudi to arm Lebanon
France and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement on Tuesday for Paris to provide the Lebanese army with $3 billion worth of weapons paid for by Riyadh, the French foreign minister said. The deal, first announced in December, aims to boost Lebanon's military as it struggles to contain a rising tide of violence linked to the civil war in neighboring Syria. There were no immediate details on what weapons systems would likely be delivered under the agreement, or when Lebanon would receive them.
"I welcome the signing of the contract to assist the Lebanese army," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in a statement. "This agreement, financed by a Saudi donation, will strengthen the Lebanese army, which is the guarantor of the unity and stability of Lebanon."
