Aoun confirms to the Cabinet the success of his visit to Washington: Trump was understanding of Lebanon's situation
President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, affirmed during a cabinet meeting he chaired and which was attended by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at Baabda Palace, that his visit to Washington and his meeting with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, were successful, despite some betting on their failure.
He said that the discourse prevailing during the meeting, away from the media, was positive, and that the American president was understanding of Lebanon’s situation, opening many doors. Furthermore, the meeting between him and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which preceded the meeting with President Trump, revolved around the same points.
He clarified that efforts are underway to hold an economic conference in Washington, which will be attended by the relevant ministers, with the Prime Minister heading the Lebanese delegation. This conference will yield positive results.
President Aoun pointed to positive progress on the issues of borders and prisoners during negotiations held in Rome, hoping that some practical steps will soon emerge in this regard. As for the ceasefire and experimental zones, the American administration will work on addressing them, and American General Joseph Clerfild will soon arrive in Beirut to follow up on these matters.
Regarding his visit to Turkey, he said that his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was characterized by positivity. He noted Turkey’s readiness to assist in the energy sector (electricity and oil), and to include Lebanon in the “Hijaz Line,” a topic previously raised by the Prime Minister during his visit to Turkey. President Erdogan also expressed openness to economic partnership.
Aoun said he sensed the Turkish president’s keen interest in the stability of Lebanon and Syria, and in preventing any country from interfering in the internal affairs of the other. He also requested his assistance in working to extend the mandate of UNIFIL forces through his international contacts and relations, to which he pledged to work on it.
