Army Commander in Chief visits USS CHOCTAW COUNTY at the Beirut Naval Base, as part of the efforts to support the Lebanese Navy

The Army Commander in Chief  General Joseph Aoun visited this morning the USS CHOCTAW COUNTY anchored at the Beirut Naval Base, and toured it accompanied by: the Commander of the Naval Forces in the US Central Command, Admiral Brad COOPER, the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Mrs. Dorothy SHEA, and the Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Major General Stefano DEL COL, along with a number of officers.
Ambassador SHEA delivered a speech in which she affirmed her country's continued support for the navy, which carries out many sensitive missions in the face of smuggling and terrorist operations to protect the territorial waters and the Lebanese people. She also affirmed the US’s will to contribute to the reconstruction of the Beirut Naval Base in parallel with improving the operational capabilities of the navy.
Admiral COOPER also delivered a speech in which he praised the relations of cooperation and friendship between the Lebanese and American navies, expressing his deep confidence in the possibility of developing joint cooperation between the two parties to reach a better future.
General Aoun delivered a speech in which he thanked the US authorities for their support for the Lebanese army, specifically the navy, which plays a key role in controlling illegal smuggling and securing freedom of navigation in Lebanese territorial waters in cooperation and coordination with UNIFIL, pointing out the importance of continuing this support on the part of friendly countries, foremost of which is the United States.
General Aoun pointed out that the joining of the Lebanese Navy to the World Hydrographic Organization highlights the international recognition of the accuracy of the maritime maps prepared by the Hydrographic Department in the navy, in accordance with high international standards. He stressed that the Lebanese Army is the backbone of the country and the only protector of its security and stability.
In the end, the Lebanese Army received 170 carriers (PALLET) of medical supplies as a gift from the American authorities.