Aoun praises framework agreement and asks for Washington's help to implement it
US President Donald Trump pledged to provide "significant assistance" to Lebanon, stressing that his administration has concrete plans to support the Lebanese army, during his meeting with Lebanese President JoeF . Aoun at the White House on Tuesday, in the first face-to-face meeting between the two countries, and the first visit by a Lebanese president to Washington since 2009.
At the beginning of the meeting, Trump said that Lebanon has suffered a lot and we will provide it with assistance, and we will help it a lot, stressing that the United States will work to solve a number of problems facing Lebanon, and that it will ensure that it is treated with the respect it deserves.
Aoun asks for Trump's help
For his part, Aoun described the framework agreement with Tel Aviv as a "historic achievement," noting that his ultimate goal is to end the state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel once and for all.
Addressing Trump, he added: "I think this will be your great legacy. Together we will be able to achieve this goal, it is time for both Lebanon and the region to enjoy stability and security."
President Aoun stressed that the Lebanese army has the funding, equipment and manpower necessary to implement the agreement, calling on President Trump to provide "additional American assistance to accomplish the mission," noting that " it needs political support, and the support of the army as the most reliable institution in the country, and possesses the most powerful weapon, which is the trust of the Lebanese."
Trump refuses to set a date for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon
The meeting coincided with the start of the implementation of the first phase of the pilot areas in the south, which includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the villages of Faroun, Sarifa and Zuter al-Gharbiya. When asked when the full withdrawal would be, Trump avoided setting a timetable, saying only that Israel was in the process of "redeploying" and that the deal was "wonderful" and making progress.
Asked when Israeli forces would fully withdraw, Trump avoided setting a timetable, using the term redeployment, saying Israeli forces were in the process of redeploying other units, adding that Israel and Lebanon were in full agreement and that the agreement signed between them was "wonderful."
Plans to Support the Army
When asked how he would help the Lebanese forces take control of the villages from which Israel is withdrawing, Trump said, "We're going to talk about that today and we already have very concrete plans for that, with the participation of other parties that will provide assistance," referring to Saudi Arabia.
He added that the Lebanese army has become significantly more self-reliant, stressing that the support file will be one of the main topics in the talks.
Trump faced a question about the Lebanese army's announcement that Israeli forces had fired near Lebanese units that were trying to deploy in one of the test areas, and the US president said he heard about the incident just before the meeting began, adding: "We will look into it."
Trump: The door is open for Syria's intervention in Lebanon
Trump left the door open for the possibility of Syria playing a role in addressing Hezbollah's weapons file, when asked if he supported Syria's intervention to help disarm the group.
The U.S. president did not rule out the idea, but called it a "proposed" idea, praising Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara. "We have a very good relationship with him, he has done a very good job, and I wouldn't be surprised if he does something like this," he said.. It has succeeded in unifying Syria," while President Aoun insisted that the Lebanese army alone be responsible for extending state authority and implementing the security arrangements stipulated in the framework agreement.
Aoun: The Framework Agreement from the Specialist
The meeting addressed the position of the Speaker of the Lebanese House of Representatives, Nabih Berri, after Aoun was asked about reports that he rejected the agreement, describing it as potentially leading to internal strife.Aoun replied that the framework agreement does not need to be ratified by parliament, noting that the constitution gives the president the power to conclude it.
Aoun was keen to defend Berri, saying that the speaker of parliament supports ending the state of hostility and war, and that his position as a Shiite leader requires him to deal with the file with caution.
He added, "President Berri is a statesman," explaining that he hails from southern Lebanon, and is aware of the extent of the destruction he is subjected to, and that he wants to see an end to the war, although he is required to take into account the sensitivity of his position and his relationship with Hezbollah.
Trump said he had heard Berri was "a good man and a good man," and expressed confidence that he would join the track when he saw the progress of the deal.