Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting with Prime Minister of Lebanon Tamman Salam

Today I met with Prime Minister of Lebanon Tammam Salam to prepare for the upcoming London Conference, "Supporting Syria and the region", on 4 February. We discussed topics of common concern, such as the impact of the refugee crisis, the  joint fight against terrorism, and the Syria crisis.

The European Union is committed to support Lebanon to sustainably address the consequences of the Syrian crisis. Ahead of London, we agreed with Prime Minister Salam to do more to address the needs of refugees and host communities. This includes by creating job opportunities and providing education, offering greater hope for the future.

The European Union also appreciates Lebanon's efforts in countering violent extremism and fighting terrorism, particularly in the light of the brutal terrorist attacks in Beirut of 12 November. I hope that the EU and Lebanon will be able to further strengthen our cooperation. The upcoming counter-terrorism Dialogue in Beirut is an important opportunity to do so.

I expressed to the Prime Minister our appreciation for his commitment and efforts to govern in such challenging times. I also renewed our call on all political forces to elect a new President and foster reforms to strengthen democracy, justice and the rule of law.

The European Union is committed to working with Lebanon, especially during challenging times. We will continue our joint efforts to make the EU-Lebanon partnership stronger.