Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri received at the Grand Serail on Thursday the head of the EU delegation to Lebanon, Ambassador Christina Lassen, and the ambassadors of EU member states in Lebanon. The delegation congratulated Hariri on the formation of the new government, stressing the need to “resume the efforts to strengthen state institutions to ensure governance and reaffirm the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and exclusive authority of the Lebanese State.” Ready to provide support to handle those challenges, the European diplomats also urged the government to start implementing the reforms stipulated by the CEDRE Conference (Conférence économique pour le développement, par les réformes et avec les entreprises), pledging a “large-scale support if necessary measures are taken.” Recognizing Lebanon’s remarkable efforts in hosting more than 1 million refugees, the EU emphasized the need to “work together for an informed discussion regarding the return of Syrian refugees to their home country, which is the ultimate objective.” Furthermore, the EU urged PM al-Hariri to maintain its policy of dissociation from regional conflicts and to fullfil the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions. Finally, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) were recognized as “the only legitimate armed forces of Lebanon” by the EU which encouraged “the Government of Lebanon to resume a national dialogue for a National Defence Strategy.”