Beiruting News

Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and his Mexican counterpart launched Tuesday the "Lebanese-Mexican House" in the northern coastal town of Batroun to boost cultural interaction between the two countries.

"There are 500,000 people of Lebanese descent in Mexico, and they should know that they will have a house in Lebanon," Bassil told a crowd at a ceremony to lay the cornerstone for the center. "They are invited to visit it and meet their people and [see their] villages in Lebanon." It was unclear when the center's construction would be finished.

Welcoming his Mexican counterpart Jose Antonio Meade, who is also of Lebanese descent, Bassil expressed pride that seven of the 18 ministers in the current Mexican cabinet have, according to him, Lebanese origin.

The Daily Star could not verify Bassil's claim of the makeup of Mexico's cabinet.

He announced that the two countries would begin implementing a "serious and real" plan to enhance mutual relations.

Bassil said that Meade launched Tuesday an official project to boost economic trade between Lebanon and Mexico.

The minister explained that while Mexico exports goods worth $50 million annually, Lebanon only exports $400,000.

"We will seek with Minister [Meade] to establish the first direct air route to connect Beirut to Mexico," Bassil said, noting that there are no such routes connecting Lebanon to any Latin American country.

He also announced plans to introduce Spanish language courses in Lebanese school curricula, and to encourage the teaching of Arabic in Mexico.

Meade said relations between the two countries were bound by emotions.

"We put our heart in the middle of any memorandum between Lebanon and Mexico," he said. "The Mexicans of Lebanese descent are an honor to Mexico thanks to the love they have shown, their success and their charity."

"We have come in search of our origins and roots in Lebanon, and here we are, leaving a piece of our hearts as we return."

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