Lebanese Prime Minister: My meetings in New York focused on the withdrawal of the occupation and the post-UNIFIL phase
Beirut, Sept 24 (KUNA) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Thursday that his meetings in New York focused on several key files, foremost among them halting Israeli occupation attacks on his country and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from its territory, as well as the post-United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) phase.
Salam said on his X (formerly Twitter) account that his meetings yesterday and today, following the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in New York and his participation in the U.S.-led multilateral summit alongside Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey, as well as his chairing of the high-level meeting on “Post-Crisis” convened at the joint invitation of Lebanon, the European Union, and the United Nations Development Programme, and his meetings with senior Arab and foreign officials, centered on a range of issues.
He clarified, “The focus was on intensifying efforts to de-escalate tensions and spare Lebanon and the region from further confrontations, strengthening Lebanon’s Arab, regional, and international relations based on respect for sovereignty, non-interference, and shared interests, as well as expanding economic and investment cooperation and regional integration, particularly in the fields of energy, electricity, transport, and infrastructure, and leveraging international expertise to modernize administration and digitize government services.”
He added that emphasis was also placed on “continuing our work in Lebanon on reform and strengthening state institutions, extending state authority over the entirety of its territory, monopolizing the use of force and the decisions of war and peace in its hands alone, alongside the necessity of Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory and halting its attacks, which will contribute to stabilizing the situation and enabling residents to return to their towns and villages.”
He noted that his meetings discussed “working from now on to prepare for the post-UNIFIL phase and avoiding any security vacuum in the south through a formula that ensures the continuation of an international presence carrying out monitoring, reporting, and liaison tasks under the umbrella of a resolution issued by the UN Security Council.”
He mentioned that he also discussed “mobilizing support for the return, recovery, and reconstruction process, which will contribute to restoring basic services, solidifying the return of our people, and enhancing their resilience in affected areas.” (End) A.Y.B. / T.M.A.
