Lebanese President: My meeting with Trump was productive; the time has come to end the war... finally
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun briefed Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Friday regarding the outcomes of his visit to the United States and his meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as American preparations to support the Lebanese Army.
The Office of Media at the Lebanese Presidency stated in a press release that this briefing took place during President Aoun’s reception of Prime Minister Salam to discuss the general situation and recent developments, particularly Washington’s commitment to implementing the “Framework Formula” agreed upon to complete the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation up to the southern borders.
The statement added that Salam briefed President Aoun on his field visit to the town of Zaiter al-Gharbi (Western Zaiter) following the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the area earlier in the week, reaffirming the state’s determination to secure the needs of residents, ensure their presence on their land, and preserve their livelihoods.
The meeting also addressed Prime Minister Salam’s upcoming visit to Iraq to discuss strengthening bilateral relations with his Iraqi counterpart, Ali al-Zaidi.
Regarding field developments, the Lebanese National News Agency reported that residents of Western Zaiter began entering the town to inspect their homes, supported by the Lebanese Army, amid security and organizational measures to facilitate their return after the Engineering Brigade completed surveying the area and removing mines and unexploded ordnance left by the occupation.
These field developments come within the framework of the executive understandings of the “Framework Agreement” signed between Lebanon and the Israeli occupation under U.S. sponsorship to end military confrontations. The “Special Military Coordination Group for Lebanon” is tasked with direct coordination between the parties to ensure the gradual withdrawal of the occupation and the extension of Lebanese state sovereignty through the deployment of the Lebanese Army in the southern areas.
Meanwhile, President Joseph Aoun received the European Union Ambassador along with a delegation of ambassadors and chargés d’affaires, emphasizing that the continued presence of UNIFIL is the optimal means for the coming phase, and if that proves unfeasible, the creation of an alternative force to replace it. The Lebanese President called on the European Union to support the implementation of the “Framework Formula,” noting that Lebanon’s stability reflects on the stability of the countries in the region.
