Kerry: Lebanon’s Security Has Been of ‘Paramount Concern’ to Obama for Years

John KERRY Lebanon s ░░░░░░░░ for years has been ░░░░░░░░ Paramount concern to the ░░░░░░░░ States And that is ░░░░░░░░ I have to say ░░░░░░░░ the current political stalemate ░░░░░░░░ in Lebanon is deeply ░░░░░░░░ It s unfortunate that ░░░░░░░░ parliament did not elect ░░░░░░░░ president on schedule as ░░░░░░░░ Lebanese constitution requires And ░░░░░░░░ it is far more ░░░░░░░░ for the vacancy to ░░░░░░░░ filled so that the ░░░░░░░░ of Lebanon can reap ░░░░░░░░ benefits of a fully ░░░░░░░░ fully empowered government That ░░░░░░░░ important for Lebanon it ░░░░░░░░ also important for the ░░░░░░░░ it s important for ░░░░░░░░ who support Lebanon And ░░░░░░░░ need a government that ░░░░░░░░ free from foreign influence ░░░░░░░░ a fully empowered president ░░░░░░░░ with the president and ░░░░░░░░ parliament responding directly to ░░░░░░░░ people and to the ░░░░░░░░ of the people of ░░░░░░░░ Earlier today I reiterated ░░░░░░░░ support to President Salam ░░░░░░░░ the meeting we just ░░░░░░░░ and I reiterated President ░░░░░░░░ s support for the ░░░░░░░░ of the Lebanese Government ░░░░░░░░ Prime Minister Salam and ░░░░░░░░ cabinet And I thanked ░░░░░░░░ prime minister for the ░░░░░░░░ that we share and ░░░░░░░░ his commitment to those ░░░░░░░░ This is not a ░░░░░░░░ for business as usual ░░░░░░░░ challenges are just too ░░░░░░░░ and the challenges are ░░░░░░░░ interconnected Lebanon needs and ░░░░░░░░ deserves to have a ░░░░░░░░ empowered fully functioning complete ░░░░░░░░ And we hope the ░░░░░░░░ parliament will select a ░░░░░░░░ quickly In the meantime ░░░░░░░░ did assure the prime ░░░░░░░░ that the United States ░░░░░░░░ remain a strong and ░░░░░░░░ partner and we will ░░░░░░░░ to support Lebanon and ░░░░░░░░ institutions That includes support ░░░░░░░░ is aimed at building ░░░░░░░░ capacity of the Lebanese ░░░░░░░░ forces and the internal ░░░░░░░░ forces in order to ░░░░░░░░ them be able to ░░░░░░░░ Lebanon s borders to ░░░░░░░░ able to handle the ░░░░░░░░ flows and to be ░░░░░░░░ to calm the tensions ░░░░░░░░ combat terrorism In fact ░░░░░░░░ are seeking right now ░░░░░░░░ increase our assistance to ░░░░░░░░ institutions.”