Head of the "Marada" Movement Sleiman Franjieh visited on Friday Russian capital Moscow, accompanied by a Movement delegation including former Minister Rony Araiji, former MP Karim al-Rassi and Mr. Antoine Merheb, where they held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who expressed "Moscow's keenness to help Lebanon in overcoming the problems that have hindered its development in recent years.”
According to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov said: "We frankly want to help our Lebanese friends in solving the problems that have distracted you in recent years in one way or another from the beneficial purposes, the development of your state and the strengthening of its security.”
He continued, "We believe that it is important basically to preserve the principles on which the contemporary state in Lebanon depends, and which we always call for strengthening especially during our work within the UN Security Council.”
"Moscow follows these approaches in its regular contacts with representatives of the entire political spectrum in Lebanon," Lavrov asserted.
Referring to the “Marada” Movement’s significant role in the development of the contemporary Lebanese state, the Russian Foreign Minister said his country is interested in listening to the Movement’s assessments and giving its feedback, an interest that springs from Russia’s desire to help friendly Lebanon.
It is to note that Franjieh and his accompanying delegation had earlier met at the headquarters of the Russian Foreign Ministry with the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Middle East and African Countries, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, and Head of the Lebanon and Syria Department Andrei Panov, where they underlined the importance of relations and ties between Lebanon and Russia. The meeting also included an exchange of views on current issues.