Press Releases: Secretary Pompeo's Meeting With Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri

03/22/2019 09:58 AM EDT

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

March 22, 2019

The below is attributable to Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino:

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met in Beirut today with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. They discussed the importance of the U.S.-Lebanese security partnership and the need for continued support for Lebanon's legitimate state security institutions, particularly the Lebanese Armed Forces. The Secretary commended the Lebanese people for hosting more than one million Syrian refugees, whose presence is a consequence of Syrian repression and Iranian aggression. He emphasized U.S.concerns related to Hizballah's destabilizing activities inside Lebanon and the region and the risks posed by their illicit and provocative behavior.