Diplomatic coordination between Washington and Paris has intensified over Lebanon and Syria amid continued concerns about Hezbollah’s armed presence south of the Litani River. According to An-Nahar, a senior French diplomatic source confirmed that French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot held talks with U.S. envoy Tom Barrack regarding the ongoing international support for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the implementation of the government’s disarmament plan.
Both officials reportedly agreed on the importance of the Lebanese Army demonstrating concrete, measurable progress in disarmament operations, particularly in southern Lebanon. The French minister stressed that President Emmanuel Macron remains committed to mobilizing international backing for the LAF and organizing a major support conference in Riyadh in November. Macron has already discussed the initiative with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, urging the Kingdom to co-host the event, though Riyadh has yet to deliver a final response.
Barrot and Barrack emphasized that strengthening the LAF’s operational capacity is essential for stability, noting that the army must clearly outline its logistical and technical needs. The planned Riyadh conference would aim to secure both financial and military assistance, with Saudi Arabia expected to play a central role. The French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian is scheduled to visit the Kingdom to meet with Prince Yazid bin Farhan, who oversees the Lebanon file.
In parallel, the discussions touched on Lebanon’s stalled economic reforms. Both Washington and Paris underlined the urgency for Beirut to fulfill its commitments by passing a law on the distribution of banking losses and concluding a long-awaited agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). French diplomat Jacques de La Gauche is reportedly assisting Lebanese officials in the technical negotiations with the IMF, and Paris has expressed readiness to host a reconstruction and recovery conference for Lebanon once an agreement is finalized.
The French source added that the delay in implementing Hezbollah’s disarmament plan and the rising tension caused by ongoing Israeli drone flights over southern Lebanon have raised concern in both capitals. Despite progress, “there remain numerous areas in the south where weapons have not yet been removed,” the source said. Paris is aware of the Lebanese Army’s challenges, which is why Macron sees the Saudi conference as crucial to strengthening the LAF’s position.
The talks also covered the evolving relationship between Lebanon and Syria. The French diplomat noted that both Barrot and Barrack expressed positive views of the growing coordination between Beirut and Syria’s transitional authorities, following the Syrian Foreign Minister’s visit to Lebanon on September 1. They agreed that continued dialogue serves both nations’ sovereignty and long-term stability.
On Syria, both sides reaffirmed support for the political transition process and for joint efforts to promote social and economic recovery. They highlighted that regional and international coordination will be vital to reintegrating Syria into its Arab and global economic systems. The officials also discussed recent progress between the Syrian transitional government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), stressing that France and the United States will remain closely aligned to sustain the peace process and de-escalate field tensions.
Ultimately, both governments underscored that a sustainable peace in Syria can only emerge through a negotiated settlement—one that unifies the country and integrates northeastern territories into a national political framework. For Lebanon, the joint American-French effort aims to stabilize the south, strengthen the army, and ensure that disarmament efforts proceed in a verifiable, internationally supported manner.
