President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, stressed on Tuesday that the Lebanese Army is assuming all its responsibilities pertaining to the implementation of the UN Resolution 1701 and the deployment in the South Litani River in order to secure the area in coordination with the UNIFIL troops.
Meeting with a delegation of researchers from the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington, President Aoun reiterated his call on the US administration to press ‘Israel’ to withdraw from the five occupation posts in South Lebanon in order for the Lebanese Army to complete its deployment in South Lebanon.
Highlighting Lebanon’s dire need for immediate international military assistance, Aoun appealed directly to the United States to support the Lebanese Army and security forces.
“It is in America’s interest for Lebanon to remain stable and secure,” he said. “Washington must help Lebanon achieve that goal.”
Turning to regional concerns, Aoun said the Lebanese Army continues to monitor the Lebanese-Syrian border closely in an effort to clamp down on smuggling and control cross-border movement. He revealed that high-level communications between Beirut and Damascus have led to meetings aimed at resolving lingering issues between the two countries.
Addressing the sensitive issue of displaced Syrians, Aoun reiterated Lebanon’s insistence on their return, arguing that the country can no longer bear the burden of their presence.
“The political and security reasons behind the presence of most of the displaced Syrians who live in Lebanon no longer exist,” he said, citing significant changes in their homeland.
He urged the international community to lift economic sanctions on Syria to help jumpstart its economy and create conditions conducive to the displaced return.
“Keeping them in Lebanon turns them into economic refugees, something Lebanon cannot sustain,” Aoun warned.
Aoun told the delegation that Lebanon is pressing ahead with economic, financial, and administrative reforms. He described recent meetings between the Lebanese delegation and officials at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington as productive and voiced optimism about the potential positive impact on Lebanon’s struggling economy.
“Lebanon remains firmly committed to implementing reforms across all sectors,” Aoun said, according to a readout from the presidential palace. “We hope these meetings will yield positive results on both financial and economic fronts.”
The president stressed that fighting corruption is a top national priority. He noted that the government, in coordination with Parliament, has already passed several reform-oriented laws. He also highlighted the key role the judiciary will soon play once long-awaited judicial appointments are finalized.
Source: Al-Manar English Website and NNA
