Aoun in His Address at Informal EU Summit in Cyprus: Lebanon Refuses to Be a Bargaining Chip in Regional Conflicts
President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, affirmed that Lebanon refuses to be a bargaining chip in regional conflicts. Rather, it negotiates in its own name in defense of its national interests and sovereignty.
President Aoun added, Lebanon has engaged in a diplomatic negotiation process under the auspices of the United States of America, with the support of European Union countries and Arab states, with the aim of reaching a sustainable solution that puts an end to Israeli attacks and leads to a full Israeli withdrawal behind internationally-recognized borders, thus allowing the state to extend its authority over all its territory.
President Aoun said: Lebanon, like other countries in the region, places great importance and has a vested interest in de-escalation and achieving stability and peace, based on its belief that diplomacy- not escalation- is the only path to a sustainable solution.
President Aoun presented, with figures, the difficult reality that Lebanon is experiencing due to Israel's continued attacks and violations of international law, through targeting medical teams, hospitals, educational institutions, journalists, and places of worship, in addition to the systematic destruction of villages and civilian infrastructure, with the aim of preventing residents from returning to their homes, as more than one million Lebanese have been displaced from their areas to other regions.
Aoun also pointed to the presence of displaced Syrians on Lebanese soil and stressed the need to work in coordination with the Syrian authorities and with the support of international partners, to intensify efforts that ensure their safe and dignified return, as they place significant pressure on infrastructure, services, and host communities. Moreover, in light of Syria's recovery and stability, there is now a real opportunity to make progress in this process in a gradual and organized manner.
The President of the Republic further reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to economic reform and to strengthening its partnership with the European Union, and its belief that this partnership can go beyond aid to include investment, cooperation, and joint strategic initiatives. Aoun called on the European Union to convene an international conference dedicated to reconstruction, recovery, and enhancing humanitarian funding, and to activate the conference in support the Lebanese Army, which France thankfully called for, given that the army is a guarantor of national unity and a fundamental pillar of local and regional stability.
President Aoun's positions came in his address on behalf of Lebanon at the informal meeting of EU Heads of State and Government, with the participation of leaders of the southern neighboring countries, which was called for by Cyprus in the context of its presidency of the Union.
