Lebanon has expressed strong confidence in Russian policy and is eager to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with the Russian Federation across various sectors, Yousef Murtada, Secretary-General of the Lebanese-Russian Friendship Association, told a TASS correspondent.
"Given the evident shortcomings of the United States, which seems either unwilling or unable to curb military escalation in the region, Lebanon is placing its hopes on Russia. We expect Russia to play a more active role in resolving the Middle East conflict," Murtada emphasized.
He highlighted that Russian diplomacy has a rich history of engagement in Arab countries. "The Soviet Union's consistent support for Arab nations' rights to independence in the 1950s and 1960s, its assistance in economic development, and its backing of the Palestinian cause have earned profound respect from many generations," Murtada noted.
Reflecting on the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Beirut, celebrated on August 5, Murtada recalled that the USSR was one of the first countries to recognize Lebanon's independence. "In 1946, the Soviet Union used its veto power to defend the sovereignty of Lebanon and Syria when the Security Council debated the continued presence of British and French colonial troops in these countries," he said. "Moscow has consistently supported the preservation of Lebanon's unity and territorial integrity."
Murtada highlighted the peak of cooperation with Russia in the mid-1990s, noting that the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri (1940-2005) made the first official visit to Moscow in 1997. "Under Hariri's leadership, all major bilateral agreements between Lebanon and Russia were signed," he added.
He recalled that during the Russia-Lebanon banking forum held in Beirut in 2004, Prime Minister Hariri acknowledged Russia's invaluable contribution by training thousands of specialists who became key figures in Lebanon's engineering and technical sectors. "Today, graduates of Soviet and Russian universities hold prominent positions as deputies, mayors, clinic directors, university professors, and theater directors. An education from Russia remains highly prestigious," Murtada concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Xevi V/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS