By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday affirmed that disarming Hezbollah is a national and international priority, stressed that the only viable path to achieving this goal is through dialogue, a statement from the presidency said.
“As I said in my inauguration speech, there is no place for weapons or armed groups outside the framework of the state,” Aoun stated.
“These issues must be resolved through communication and dialogue. After all, Hezbollah is a Lebanese component.”
He revealed that work will soon begin on drafting a National Security Strategy, which will lay the foundation for a National Defence Strategy.
“We are all committed to the same objective,” he added. “Differences in opinion are normal; that’s the essence of democracy. What matters is that our goal is unified.”
Aoun’s remarks came during a meeting with a delegation from the American Task Force on Lebanon, led by Edward Gabriel, media reported.
The delegation delivered a clear message from Washington emphasized two urgent priorities: the disarmament of Hezbollah and the implementation of reforms necessary for Lebanon to access international financial aid.
Gabriel praised the efforts of the Lebanese army and the President personally, while also noting that “there is still much to be done.”
He added that the quicker reforms are implemented, the sooner the US can offer meaningful support.
Gabriel disclosed that the US Congress is preparing a funding bill for Lebanon next year.
Aoun emphasized the need to ease tensions in the south, underlining that Lebanon needs both time and space to resolve issues calmly.
He called on the United States to pressure Israel to withdraw from the five points Israel continues to occupy, stated their presence complicates the situation further. To bolster security, he noted that the Lebanese government had recently approved the recruitment of 4,500 soldiers.
The ceasefire agreement between Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Israel has been in effect, putting an end to over a year of hostilities triggered by the war in Gaza.
Israeli military occasionally carries out strikes in Lebanon, claimed that the operations target Hezbollah “threats” despite the agreement.
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