Lebanese President Reiterates Commitment to Halting the War and Facilitating the Return of Displaced Persons

Beirut, September 9 (KUNA) -- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Wednesday reaffirmed the pursuit of halting the war, returning displaced persons to their villages, and definitively ending the state of hostility with the Israeli occupation forces. In a statement issued by the Lebanese Presidency, President Aoun stressed the importance of national unity, noting that negotiations with the occupation forces stem from the principle that “Lebanon is a sovereign state.” He added that Lebanon enjoys “sovereignty over its decisions” and “we reject any external imposition of decisions upon us,” emphasizing that “loyalty must be exclusively to Lebanon, not to external actors whom some seek to leverage against their fellow citizens within the country.”

President Aoun stated, “We have reached the (framework agreement), and our goal is to stop the war, return displaced persons to their villages, and definitively end the state of hostility” with the occupation. He affirmed the continuation of the negotiation process as the means to “protect the country and extricate it from the series of wars” it has experienced since 1969 to the present, while underscoring the resolve to continue the reform and development agenda.

President Aoun appreciated the international attention shown to Lebanon by most countries, notably the United States, European nations, and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Lebanon previously signed a tripartite framework agreement on June 26 with the United States and the Israeli occupation, following the fifth round of “Lebanese-Israeli talks” mediated by the United States in Washington, where both sides declared their ambition to resolve their dispute. (End) A.Y.B./F.S.