President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, told the Italian Foreign Minister that Lebanon hopes that during the upcoming meeting tomorrow in Washington between Lebanese, US, and Israeli ambassadors, an agreement will be reached on a ceasefire in Lebanon, in order to begin direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. These negotiations would be handled by a Lebanese negotiating team to put an end to hostilities and establish practical steps to stabilize southern Lebanon in particular and the country in general.
He added: “There is now an opportunity to reach a sustainable solution, which is what Lebanon wants, but this cannot be one-sided. Israel must respond to Lebanese, Arab, and international calls to stop its attacks on Lebanon and to engage in negotiations, especially since Israel’s repeated wars against Lebanon have not achieved the goals it sought since 1982 until today.”
He continued: “Israel’s destruction of Lebanese areas is not a solution and will not produce any result, because diplomatic solutions have always been the best for armed conflicts in the world,” welcoming Italy’s willingness to host direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations.
President Aoun also stressed that “negotiations with Israel are conducted by the Lebanese state and not by any other party, as this is a sovereign matter in which Lebanon has no partners,” noting that Lebanon has taken a series of security measures at Rafic Hariri International Airport and at land and sea border crossings to prevent arms smuggling or the flow of illicit funds, and that the army and other security forces are strictly enforcing the laws to prevent any breaches that would undermine the country’s security and financial stability.
He concluded by thanking Italy for its support to Lebanon and the role of the Italian contingent within the UNIFIL forces in the south, appreciating the sacrifices of peacekeepers who are occasionally subjected to direct Israeli attacks, with some becoming martyrs.
He added: “There is now an opportunity to reach a sustainable solution, which is what Lebanon wants, but this cannot be one-sided. Israel must respond to Lebanese, Arab, and international calls to stop its attacks on Lebanon and to engage in negotiations, especially since Israel’s repeated wars against Lebanon have not achieved the goals it sought since 1982 until today.”
He continued: “Israel’s destruction of Lebanese areas is not a solution and will not produce any result, because diplomatic solutions have always been the best for armed conflicts in the world,” welcoming Italy’s willingness to host direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations.
President Aoun also stressed that “negotiations with Israel are conducted by the Lebanese state and not by any other party, as this is a sovereign matter in which Lebanon has no partners,” noting that Lebanon has taken a series of security measures at Rafic Hariri International Airport and at land and sea border crossings to prevent arms smuggling or the flow of illicit funds, and that the army and other security forces are strictly enforcing the laws to prevent any breaches that would undermine the country’s security and financial stability.
He concluded by thanking Italy for its support to Lebanon and the role of the Italian contingent within the UNIFIL forces in the south, appreciating the sacrifices of peacekeepers who are occasionally subjected to direct Israeli attacks, with some becoming martyrs.
