NNA - President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to comprehensive reforms and the return of displaced Syrians during a meeting with a visiting delegation from the Washington-based Middle East Institute (MEI), headed by retired U.S. General Joseph Votel.
Aoun told the delegation that Lebanon is pressing ahead with economic, financial, and administrative reforms. He described recent meetings between the Lebanese delegation and officials at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington as productive and voiced optimism about the potential positive impact on Lebanon's struggling economy.
"Lebanon remains firmly committed to implementing reforms across all sectors," Aoun said, according to a readout from the presidential palace. "We hope these meetings will yield positive results on both financial and economic fronts."
The president stressed that fighting corruption is a top national priority. He noted that the government, in coordination with Parliament, has already passed several reform-oriented laws. He also highlighted the key role the judiciary will soon play once long-awaited judicial appointments are finalized.
Commenting on the situation in southern Lebanon, Aoun stated that the Lebanese Army is fulfilling its duties in areas south of the Litani River and is fully implementing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701. However, he blamed Israel's continued occupation of five hills for obstructing the army’s complete deployment along the border.
"Israel was supposed to withdraw from these hills on February 18, but has failed to do so, despite repeated appeals to the U.S. and France, both co-sponsors of the November 27 monitoring agreement," he said.
Aoun called on Washington to increase pressure on Israel to complete its withdrawal and to return Lebanese detainees, allowing the Lebanese Army, in cooperation with UNIFIL, to assume full responsibility for security in the south.
The president also reiterated Lebanon’s unwavering position that only the state should hold weapons, assuring that disarmament would not lead to unrest and would be achieved through dialogue with stakeholders committed to peace and national stability.
"Developments in the region still favor peaceful solutions, even if they require time to avoid missteps," Aoun said.
Highlighting Lebanon’s dire need for immediate international military assistance, Aoun appealed directly to the United States to support the Lebanese Army and security forces.
"It is in America's interest for Lebanon to remain stable and secure," he said. "Washington must help Lebanon achieve that goal."
Turning to regional concerns, Aoun said the Lebanese Army continues to monitor the Lebanese-Syrian border closely in an effort to clamp down on smuggling and control cross-border movement. He revealed that high-level communications between Beirut and Damascus have led to meetings aimed at resolving lingering issues between the two countries.
Addressing the sensitive issue of displaced Syrians, Aoun reiterated Lebanon's insistence on their return, arguing that the country can no longer bear the burden of their presence.
"The political and security reasons behind the presence of most of the displaced Syrians who live in Lebanon no longer exist," he said, citing significant changes in their homeland.
He urged the international community to lift economic sanctions on Syria to help jumpstart its economy and create conditions conducive to the displaced return.
"Keeping them in Lebanon turns them into economic refugees, something Lebanon cannot sustain," Aoun warned. -- Kataeb.org
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