Aoun: Direct negotiations are delicate and pivotal, and national responsibility must be unified in the next phase

President Joseph Aoun, speaking before a delegation of Beirut MPs:

Direct negotiations are delicate and pivotal, and national responsibility must be unified in the next phase, while the eyes of the world are fixed on Lebanon.

The state’s position is to consolidate the ceasefire, secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied southern territories, recover the prisoners, and address the outstanding border disputes.

The ceasefire is the gateway to moving forward with the negotiations, and it is an option that enjoys both domestic and international support. One of its most notable expressions was what US President Donald Trump announced during yesterday’s phone call in support of Lebanon, its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, in addition to the United States standing by the Lebanese people to end their suffering, restore their recovery, and reactivate their economy, which was negatively affected by the recent war.

The Lebanese Army will play a fundamental role after the withdrawal of Israeli forces by deploying up to the southern international border, ending armed manifestations, and reassuring southerners after their return to their villages and towns that there will be no armed forces other than the army and the legitimate security forces.

The Lebanese, who have endured much in recent years, now face a new reality that has secured Arab and international support. This opportunity must not be squandered, because it may not come again.