Salam: Negotiations are ongoing... and Lebanon is open to peace and ending the war

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed that “Lebanon is currently focused on halting hostilities and ending the war,” noting that Beirut is “open to a peace agreement with Israel once its demands are met.”

In an interview with Al Arabiya, Salam said the ongoing negotiations include Lebanon’s demand for “a clear agenda for an Israeli withdrawal,” stressing that his country “did not choose war, but was dragged into the confrontation between Iran and the United States.”

Salam explained that the aim of his recent visit to Damascus “was to raise the level of cooperation between the two countries,” pointing to “significant progress whose results will soon become apparent.” He added that Lebanon has “turned the page on disputes with Syria and is moving to consolidate relations.”

He also noted that “a higher council for cooperation with Syria will be established, and its first meeting will be held in June.”

He continued that “the two sides agreed to facilitate the movement of people and goods, in addition to strengthening electricity interconnection projects between Lebanon and Syria.”

He said, “Lebanon did not choose war, but was dragged into the confrontation between Iran and the United States,” considering that “the Lebanese majority supports negotiations to stop the war.”

Salam added that “the city of Bint Jbeil has become a version of Gaza because of the scale of destruction,” noting that “86 Lebanese villages have come under Israeli occupation amid the continuing escalation in the south of the country.”