A diplomatic source spoke with Israel Hayom about today's meeting between French, Saudi and US officials with the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces in Paris, on finalizing a framework for establishing a mechanism to disarm Hezbollah.
The source, who is familiar with the discussions, told Israel Hayom that the meeting was badly coordinated and failed to deliver any concrete results.
The source said France has been floating the idea of an international conference on the Lebanese Armed Forces for months, but has yet to determine either a date or a host ciry. While French officials say the event will take place in February, the same assurance has been repeated every month since September, prompting skepticism about whether the plan can actually be implemented.
Commenting on Saudi Arabia's involvement, the source said Riyadh is not part of the mechanism at all and has no real role in the process.
The source also addressed the US position, particularly with regard to Lebanon, saying Washington would not be nothing more than an observer at any French-organized conference. They stressed that the US is the largest international contributor to the Lebanese Armed Forces and that its assistance is provided through standard appropriations, not through conferences.
The source stressed that the US continues to back the Lebanese Armed Forces and their efforts to disarm Hezbollah, adding that the criticism was directed solely at the conference being promoted by France.
