France and the United States agreed today to maintain their forces in Lebanon as long as the country’s internal situation warrants it and to strive to obtain the evacuation of Israeli, Syrian and PLO forces President Francois Mitterrand and U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, who met for close to three hours here today, were reported to have been in near agreement on most of the concrete issues dealing with the Middle East.
The Lebanese situation was analyzed at length by Shultz and Defense Minister Charles Hernu. The two agreed to cooperate closely in the multinational force now stationed in Beirut, which also includes Italian contingents, and to “seriously consider” any call by the Lebanese government for strengthening the MNF.
Hernu later told the press that Shultz had warned, however, against involving the MNF in any operations against any foreign troops. He said the task of the MNF must be to support the government of President Amin Gemayel “to restore Lebanon’s sovereignty and enforce the government’s authority.
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