The President of the Lebanese Republic, General Joseph Aoun, affirmed in an exclusive interview with Al-Arabiya channel on Sunday that “Iran is a friendly country, but on the basis of mutual respect and the preservation of sovereignty. It must be a friend to all components of the Lebanese society, not to one faction alone.”
He stressed that Lebanon does not interfere in the affairs of any state, and it will not allow any country to interfere in its own.
Regarding the US proposal carried by American envoy Ambassador Thomas Barrack, President Aoun explained that Lebanon had added its observations, making it effectively a Lebanese document, and that “it will not become effective before Lebanon, Syria and Israel approve it. The second point we emphasized is the principle of ‘step for step’: if one step is not implemented, the corresponding step will not be carried out.”
President Aoun added that Hezbollah’s weapons are an internal matter to be addressed by constitutional institutions. “I do not believe that anyone in the Lebanese state, across the country, has an issue with restricting arms,” he said.
He emphasized that his priority is not shifting Lebanon’s political alliances, but focusing on reintegrating the country, ending its isolation and ensuring safety, economic growth and stability.
He noted that he was faced with two options: “Either I accept the paper and tell the world that I have done my duty and it is now your duty to secure Israel’s approval, or I refuse it, in which case Israel would escalate its aggressions, Lebanon would become economically isolated and none of us would be able to respond to the attacks. If anyone has a third option that could lead to Israel’s withdrawal, the liberation of prisoners, border demarcation and economic revival, let them present it.”
“I have no political or electoral ambitions, nor do I have a party whose interests I must carry. My concern is Lebanon. I want to end the occupation in the South, finalize border demarcation with Syria and not drag the country from one axis to another,” the president added.
On relations with Syria, the president welcomed the official Syrian response to Lebanon’s remarks on the US paper, confirming that relations with Syria exist and coordination continues on the security and military levels. He thanked Saudi Arabia for its efforts in facilitating coordination between the two countries and noted that Lebanon is awaiting a Syrian envoy to further activate ties.
President Aoun reiterated that the state has begun taking steps to rebuild trust both internally and externally through reform laws and judicial and administrative appointments, stressing that “what has been achieved in six months amounts to accomplishments. I promise the Lebanese at home and abroad that we will continue, and there is no turning back. It is not easy to change 40 years overnight, but change has begun and is tangible. These measures will restore depositors’ money.”
He concluded by saying that “Lebanon has started to return to what the Arab world wants from it. As it was once said that Lebanon is the Arabs’ balcony, Lebanon will once again become the Arabs’ balcony, with the help of the Arabs.”
Comments