Salameh to the US Congress: Activating the trilateral framework and translating the principles of reciprocity and gradualism into practical steps
Beirut – Mansour Shaaban: Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam concluded his visit to the United States with a meeting with the staff of the Lebanese Embassy in Washington. He met with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Jim Risch, Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and committee members Senators Chris Coons and Tim Kain, accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Youssef Raji and Ambassador Nada Hamada Maawad. The meeting discussed Lebanese-American relations, developments in Lebanon and the region, and the government’s efforts to fully restore Lebanon’s sovereignty and extend state authority over its entire territory, as well as the reform and economic recovery process.
Prime Minister Salam’s office issued a statement clarifying that any statements or positions attributed to him and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, claiming they were contained in the minutes of their meeting in Washington, do not in any way reflect the substance of the meeting. The statement emphasized that Prime Minister Salam stressed the need to activate the trilateral framework and translate the principles of reciprocity and phased implementation into practical steps and tangible results on the ground, leading to the full restoration of Lebanon’s sovereignty, complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territories, and monopolization of weapons by the state across its entire territory. He also underscored the necessity of establishing a clear timeline for implementing commitments, ensuring progress in the Israeli withdrawal, state authority, and weapons monopolization tracks, and creating a reliable verification mechanism as stipulated in the framework.
The office further noted that the statement issued by the U.S. Department of State confirmed that Secretary Marco Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ strong commitment to supporting Lebanon in implementing the trilateral framework, and praised the efforts of Prime Minister Salam’s government to extend state authority.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Youssef Raji provided a briefing on his meeting with U.S. National Security Council Deputy Assistant to the President Michael Neddum at the White House, attended by Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Nada Hamada Maawad and U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa. The meeting covered the general situation, the trilateral framework agreement, and ways to ensure its success.
In parallel, a U.S. Congressional delegation comprising Daren Lahoud and Josh Gottheimer continued their tour of Lebanon, meeting with Lebanese Forces Party Leader Samir Geagea. According to a statement, Geagea expressed the party’s perspective on all developments in Lebanon and the region, and outlined the challenges facing Lebanon’s internal situation and the efforts made to avert their risks.
On the ground, the Lebanese Army Command announced in a statement that one soldier and three civilians were injured in the area of North Nabatieh due to the explosion of a “suspicious object” while the army was accompanying residents to inspect their properties in the area.
