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The President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, announced that “Lebanon looks forward to any international formula that strengthens the capabilities of its armed forces, preserves the integrity of its lands, and prevents its land from turning into an arena for escalation or regional tensions.”
In a statement, Aoun welcomed “the announcement made by the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, yesterday, regarding seeking to form an international coalition for the post-international force mechanism in the south (UNIFIL).”
He saw this initiative as “a sincere expression of the international commitment to support Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability, and a true appreciation for the role played by the Lebanese Armed Forces in maintaining security and extending state authority over its entire territory, especially in the southern border areas.”
He expressed his appreciation for the joint Italian-French emphasis on the necessity of not leaving any dangerous vacuum in the post-UNIFIL phase, as this approach coincides “with the firm Lebanese vision that the Lebanese army is the only and true guarantee of the security of the south and the preservation of its sovereignty.”
He stressed that “Lebanon looks forward to any international formula that enhances the capabilities of its armed forces, preserves its territorial integrity, and prevents its land from turning into an arena for escalation or regional tensions,” reiterating Lebanon’s openness “to coordination with its international partners in a way that serves the interest of the Lebanese people and consolidates stability in the region.”
Yesterday, the Italian Prime Minister announced that Italy and France had agreed to form an alliance to support Lebanon after the end of the UNIFIL mission at the end of the year. Speaking at a French resort after talks with the French President, Meloni said that the two sides also discussed the possibility of holding an international conference on this issue.
Aoun: Lebanon will remain keen on the best relations with Arab countries
In addition, Aoun praised the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council “a supportive position for Lebanon and its people in facing the current challenges, which reflects the depth of the fraternal and historical ties that unite Lebanon with the GCC countries.”
He also noted “the GCC countries’ emphasis on the importance of preserving Lebanon’s security, stability, and territorial integrity, and their keenness to support the path of reforms and strengthen state institutions, in a way that meets the aspirations of the Lebanese for a strong, capable, and just state,” expressing his appreciation for “the call of the GCC countries to extend the sovereignty of the Lebanese state over its entire territory, and to restrict weapons to the hands of legitimate institutions, in line with the Lebanese constitution and relevant international resolutions, first and foremost UN Security Council Resolution No. 1701.” And the decisions issued by the Lebanese government in this regard.
He also expressed “deep gratitude for the willingness of the Arab Gulf countries to continue supporting Lebanon humanitarianly and developmentally, in a way that contributes to alleviating the economic burdens and improving the living conditions of the Lebanese people,” stressing that Lebanon “will remain keen on the best relations with the sisterly Arab countries, especially the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and to develop them in various fields, in a way that serves common interests and enhances stability in the region.”
