Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon is seeking to conclude a security agreement with Israel to end the state of hostility between the two countries, considering that this process could pave the way for a peace agreement at a later stage. He said direct negotiations are the available option to prevent a new war from breaking out. Aoun explained that moving directly to a peace agreement is not possible, calling for gradual progress.
Withdrawal, army deployment and bringing weapons under state control
He said the aim is to implement the project responsibly and build the state, away from bloody conflict, strife and civil war. The Lebanese president called on Arab and European countries and the United States to support the Lebanese army and strengthen state institutions, enabling the army to continue shouldering its responsibilities and deploying in southern Lebanon.
He stressed that Lebanon’s assumption of its responsibilities requires its partners to help provide support. Aoun said Lebanon is open to deploying any force to replace the United Nations Interim Force in Southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, while stressing the need to prevent a vacuum after its withdrawal. He explained that any new force would need a legal framework based on the sovereignty of the state, and that its mission would be to assist the army and strengthen the state, not replace it.
