NNA – President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, on Monday stressed during a meeting with a delegation from the French Senate that the Israeli withdrawal from the five occupied hills is essential to enable the Lebanese Army to fully deploy along the southern border and for the state to assume sole responsibility for border security.

President Aoun affirmed that the Lebanese Army is fully deployed along the northeastern border, performing its duties in combating terrorism, preventing smuggling, and maintaining internal security.

The President further reiterated that “the decision to confine weapons to the authority of the Lebanese state has been made, and there will be no return to the language of war.”

On the domestic front, Aoun said Lebanon has already started implementing necessary reforms, emphasizing that “reforms are a national need before being an external demand.” He noted that fighting corruption remains a central pillar of the reform process to better serve citizens and strengthen public order.

President Aoun then announced that joint Lebanese-Syrian committees will be formed to address pending issues, including border demarcation and the situation of Syrian refugees residing in Lebanon for economic reasons.

Moreover, Aoun confirmed that municipal elections will be held on time, stressing that the state’s role is to ensure the security and administrative organization of elections, while leaving the choice of representatives to the Lebanese people.

“Our ultimate goal through all these efforts is to rebuild the state and restore confidence in it, both domestically and internationally,” Aoun concluded.

===========R.H.