Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdullah Bouhabib held a bilateral meeting today, Thursday, with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, which was followed by extensive talks attended by senior officials from both ministries and the accompanying Austrian delegation. After the meeting, the two ministers held a press conference where Minister Bouhabib welcomed Minister Schallenberg, stating: "The ties between Lebanon and Austria are historical, dating back to 1864. We discussed reaching peace along Lebanon's southern border; what we truly want is to provide actual security for the Lebanese people and regain our land."
For his part, Schallenberg expressed that he was greatly impressed by the progress made in the ministry's building in Beirut compared to what he saw during his previous visit three years ago. He indicated that this reflects the Lebanese people as an inspiring example for the region and the world on how to rise stronger from crises. He also discussed current developments regarding Syria and shared a mutual feeling that conditions in the region are deteriorating. He stated: "Our meeting today comes at a sensitive time where the region is experiencing a new level of destruction and brutality since October 7 of last year."
He added: "The brutal attack carried out by Hamas has inflamed the region, and we do not want the escalation to turn into a fire that ignites the area and becomes uncontrollable. Amidst all these developments, Lebanon stands vulnerably on the front line. I affirm here that Lebanon can rely on Austria's support to prevent the conflict from extending to it. I call on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint at this time to prevent any new escalation."
He continued: "There are numerous regional parties that believe they can play with fire without getting burned, notably Hezbollah, as well as the Houthis and others. Austria does not stand neutral concerning this crisis because it has over 170 personnel in UNIFIL along the southern border, and I am very proud of their vital role which will not cease, but we request maximum efforts to ensure their safety. We all know that the situation in the south is directly linked to the situation in Gaza, and there is still one Austrian-Israeli hostage among those captured by Hamas. However, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is tragic, and everyone is required to make efforts to address this humanitarian crisis. The Austrian government provided 10 million euros yesterday in assistance, in addition to the 30 million euros we have provided to the people in Gaza since the outbreak of the conflict. Schallenberg expressed hope for reaching an agreement regarding the hostages before Ramadan and for allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza, hence the need for an immediate ceasefire."
Schallenberg remarked: "I will discuss today with officials the political and security situation in Lebanon, and we know Lebanon faces numerous challenges on all political and economic fronts. We appreciate the heavy burden it bears in hosting such a large number of Syrian refugees, and you can rely on our support and friendship. We have provided 20 million euros since 2020 for the communities hosting displaced people. This is a very heavy burden for you, and Austria will continue to be a steadfast supporter of Lebanon."
