President of Lebanon Joseph Aoun announced today, Monday, that “preparatory talks are expected with Lebanon’s ambassador in Washington, Nada Mouawad, in the coming days. This will be the third meeting paving the way for the start of negotiations with Israel, which are under American sponsorship. This is an important achievement for Lebanon, which is receiving personal attention from U.S. President Donald Trump, and it represents a major opportunity that Lebanon must take advantage of.”

During his meeting with a delegation from the “Strong Republic” bloc headed by MP Strida Geagea, he said, “We are ready to accelerate the pace of negotiations in line with the efforts of the United States. Ultimately, there is no turning back from the path of negotiations because we have no other option. This serves all Lebanese people and does not target any group or segment, as the suffering affects everyone without exception. All Lebanese are exhausted from wars and their catastrophic consequences.”

He added that “the objectives set in any negotiation process are based on Israel’s withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories and the return of prisoners. These are rights that Lebanon has been demanding for years.”

He added, in response to a question, that “brotherly and friendly countries, including Saudi Arabia, are contributing through their ongoing contacts to support Lebanon.” He explained that “the initiative he proposed has been met with understanding and acceptance by all countries, particularly the United States, Europe, and brotherly Arab states. During the regional and international meetings and contacts he conducted, he made sure to clarify Lebanon’s official position, which helped remove any confusion or gaps in the image these countries had formed about the state’s stance on recent events and developments.”

President Joseph Aoun also stressed, in response to a question from members of the delegation, the need to adopt the diplomatic option, especially after the option of war proved unable to achieve its intended results.

He further noted that “the current situation is delicate and requires all of us to strengthen national unity and not allow anything to negatively affect it.”

Aoun and Haykal. (Lebanese Presidency)

He added, “With our national decision and unity, we can face all challenges. All the fabricated negative narratives about sectarian strife in Lebanon have no real foundation. Personally, I have committed not to respond to insults or unjustified criticism, as they do not even reflect the environment from which they come.”

He continued, “The most important thing Lebanese parties and movements can do is rally around the army, the security institutions, and state institutions, which form the foundation of the nation.”

He stressed that “the army is carrying out its duties in maintaining security and restricting weapons, based on the information it receives, in coordination with the rest of the security agencies.”

President Joseph Aoun emphasized that “the timing is not appropriate at this stage for a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” adding, “We must first reach a security agreement and stop Israeli attacks against us before raising the issue of a meeting.”

The President also noted that communication between him and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri has never been interrupted, and that the Speaker, like any Lebanese citizen, feels pain and sorrow over what Lebanon is currently going through, as well as the human and material losses affecting Lebanese people in general and those in the south in particular.

Regarding the economic situation and the expected outlook, Aoun stressed that “Lebanon has been exposed to many crises, and part of what it is suffering from economically today is due to the war, while another part is due to the broader global situation.”

He expressed hope that “the success of the initiative he proposed will open the door to improving economic conditions in Lebanon,” reaffirming his confidence in Lebanese economists, industrialists, and business owners to overcome obstacles, as they have consistently done during every crisis that has struck Lebanon.

Meeting with Army Commander Haykal

In this context, Joseph Aoun met with the Commander of the Army, General Rodolphe Haykal. They discussed the security situation in the country in general, and in the south in particular, in light of the ongoing escalation. They also reviewed the tasks carried out by the army across various Lebanese regions as part of the measures taken to maintain security and stability in the country.