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French Pres. calls for calm after US Jerusalem move

PARIS, Dec 8 (KUNA) -- French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday appealed for calm in the wake of the US move recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and the ensued reactions.
Opening a meeting for supporting Lebanon, attended by Lebanese Premier Saad Al-Hariri and US State Secretary Rex Tillerso, Macron called for "calm and responsibility by everyone." Meanwhile, the French leader urged the international community to support Lebanon.
Still "massive threats overshadow Lebanon, making it inevitable for the international community to present solid and firm support," he said.
To protect Lebanon, the Lebanese parties and all the active players in the region have to respect the basic principle of "non-interference." For his part, Al-Hariri said that President Donald Trump's move on Jerusalem constituted an "additional challenge to stability in the entire region." He thanked the French President for assisting his country saying: "Lebanon's stability lies in the ability to counter economic and social challenges resulting from hosting about 1.5 million Syrian refugees." On the sidelines of the Lebanon gathering, Al-Hariri met with the US Secretary of State. The Lebanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil attended. (end) mjz.msa