European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell met Thursday with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, as he visits Lebanon to prevent further escalation of the Gaza war.
Berri told Borell during their meeting in Ain el-Tineh that "Lebanon does not want war but that it has the right to defend itself and is able to do it."
"The EU's support to Lebanon's resilience and stability, as well as its regional role will be reviewed with a range of domestic and international stakeholders, including the U.N.," the EU Delegation to Lebanon said in a statement.
The mission will be an opportunity to discuss all aspects of the situation in and around Gaza and wider political issues with regional leaders, notably the impact of the conflict on neighboring countries and their respective contributions to peace and stability efforts, the EU Delegation said.
Borell also met Thursday with caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib and Lebanese Armed Forces Commander General Joseph Aoun and had met on Wednesday with with former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat.
After meeting Borell, Jumblatt said that "few people in history stand out in such circumstances", lauding Borrell's stance on the Gaza War. He also praised UNRWA's Philippe Lazzarini and Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, and said he hopes there were more people like them in the world and in the Arab states.
Borell had visited Cairo on Monday where he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
