President of the Republic, Michel Sleiman confirmed from the South that the ultimate goal is to have a strong Army equipped with the best weapons.

President of the Republic, Michel Sleiman confirmed from the South that the ultimate goal is to have a strong Army equipped with the best weapons.

"Nobody has the right to tell us some weapons are prohibited. Nothing is prohibited," he asserted, adding that the Army is considering what weapons could be bought with the KSA's donation to the military institution.

Accordingly, the President hoped a parliament session would be held soon to approve the plan for arming the military institution.

Sleiman called for a defense strategy to take advantage of the resistance and neutralize it from the political divisions, and said "I sought for a Lebanese army with full authority, supported by the resistance if need be."

The Head of State confirmed that the "political cover for the army exists completely without reservation."

"The army can only be for the whole nation (...), and the president is supposed to be representative of a unified national will."

Tackling the Syrian crisis, Sleiman said it inflicted various problems on Lebanon, "mainly because of the displacement which has become a serious threat to all the Lebanese and which needs to be addressed quickly."

Sleiman finally stressed that the presidential elections will be conducted whatever the price.

Sleiman delivered his statements in the south as he was accompanying the Finland president who was checking his country's UNIFIL contingent.