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President Aoun sends a message of peace to the US

Aoun to Tillerson: To prevent Israel from attacking our sovereignty, establish peace in the region




President Aoun sends a message of peace to the US

Aoun to Tillerson: To prevent Israel from attacking our sovereignty, establish peace in the region

Feb. 15, 2018

BEIRUT: President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, asked US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, during the latter's visit to the Baabda Palace "that the United States works to prevent Israel from continuing its aggression against Lebanese land, sea and air sovereignty, and push it to abide by the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in order to preserve the stability that has been prevailing over southern Lebanon since 2006."

  Image result for After the meeting with Aoun ended, Tillerson held talks with Bassil during

Aoun stressed "Lebanon's adherence to its internationally-recognized borders, and its rejection of Israel's claim to ownership of parts of the exclusive economic zone in Lebanese waters," stressing that he would spare no effort "to reach solutions to the issue of land and sea borders."

Accordingly, the President called upon the United States, the United Nations and the international community to "play an active role at this level."

Underlining Lebanon's commitment to calm along the southern border, he said "Lebanon does not want to go into war with anyone, while Israel pursues its aggressions. The memories are still vivid in southerners’ minds as to the Israeli wars against them."

President Aoun thanked the United States for its "support to the Lebanese Army and the armed forces," noting that "Lebanon, which has been able to liberate its land from terrorist groups, continues to dismantle terrorist cells via pre-emptive security operations," calling upon all countries to work hand-in-hand to counter terrorism.

Persistent on "Lebanon's commitment to drying up the financial resources of terrorist organizations," Aoun hoped these measures would not turn detrimental to the country and its economy "especially as expatriates and investors feared such measures."

"Lebanon, which has hosted more than 850,000 Syrian refugees on its soil since the start of the bloody events in Syria, can no longer bear the consequences of this displacement on its security, stability, economy as well as its social, educational and health sectors," he said. "The aid provided by the international community is insufficient and is already going directly to the displaced without any coordination with or supervision by the Lebanese State."

"The decision by the United States to reduce its contribution to UNRWA from $264 million to $60 million will be implemented only in Gaza, and will not benefit the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. It will rather add to the burden placed on Lebanon in the care of these refugees who, added to the Syrian displaced, now constitute half the population of Lebanon," Aoun went on to say.

The Head of State called, in this regard, upon the United States to "help secure a safe and gradual return for Syrians to their homeland, and to work for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis; one that would restore security and stability in the country and put an end to the suffering of Syrian refugees in the countries where they are settled."

Tillerson, in turn, affirmed "the United States' support for the LAF and the country’s security forces,” detailing the US position over the situation in Lebanon and the region, and his country’s participation in the conferences in support of Lebanon to be held in Rome, Brussels and Paris.

Talks with Bassil

After the meeting with Aoun ended, Tillerson held talks with Bassil during which they continued discussions on the points that were raised in the meeting with Aoun.

Meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri

    Image result for House Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday welcomed at his Ain Tineh residence visiting US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson

House Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday welcomed at his Ain Tineh residence visiting US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, and his accompanying delegation, with talks reportedly touching on most recent developments in Lebanon and the broad region.

Talks majorly dwelt on the US aids to the Lebanese Army and the issue of Lebanon's southern land and sea borders, with Speaker Berri bringing to attention Israel's continual violations against Lebanon especially its intention to build the cement border wall at points situated inside the Lebanese territories, and its claims to ownership of parts of the exclusive economic zone in Lebanese waters.

Berri explained to the American official the legislations and laws ratified by the House of Parliament concerning the financial, monetary and banking movements in accordance with international standards.

Meeting with PM Saad Hariri

The President of the Council of Ministers Saad Hariri held talks today at the Grand Serail with the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in the presence of Minister Ghattas Khoury, Hariri's chief of staff Nader Hariri and the accompanying US delegation.

Following their discussions that lasted one hour and a half, Hariri and Tillerson held a joint press conference at the Serail, during which Hariri said: "I welcome Secretary Tillerson to Lebanon and thank him for the excellent discussion we had earlier. His visit is a clear testimony of the United State's commitment to Lebanon's political and economic stability and the security of my country.

As I pointed to Secretary Tillerson, the commitment by all in Lebanon to the policy of disassociation is today a collective responsibility. It is closely monitored by all State institutions to ensure it is executed to Lebanon's national interest in keeping the best relations with Arab countries and the International Community at large.

We discussed the ongoing preparations for the Rome 2, CEDRE and Brussels 2 conferences, and we agreed that a successful outcome of all these meetings would safeguard Lebanon's social, economic and financial stability.

I stressed to secretary Tillerson Lebanon's right to explore, exploit and develop our natural resources in our territorial waters.

We both agreed that the Lebanese banking sector remains the cornerstone of our economy. And I reassured Secretary Tillerson that the sector is solid and sound, well supervised, and fully compliant with international laws and regulations.

Lebanon is committed to Security Council Resolutions 1701 and 2373. We want to move to a state of permanent cease fire but Israel's daily violations of our sovereignty hinder that process, as does Israel's escalating rhetoric. This needs to stop. Lebanon's southern border is the calmest border in the Middle East and I asked Secretary Tillerson to help keep it that way.

US State Secretary

Tillerson, for his part, said: "We are engaging with the governments of both Lebanon and Israel to ensure Lebanon's southern border remains calm and we remain committed to helping Lebanon and the Lebanese people prosper through the development of their natural resources in agreement with all their neighbors.

If an agreement can be reached, it truly has the ability to help Lebanon and the neighboring countries prosper now and in the years to come.

But it's impossible to talk about stability, sovereignty and security in Lebanon without addressing Hezbollah. The Unites States has considered Hezbollah a terrorist organization for more than two decades now. We neither see nor do we accept any distinction between its political and its military arms.

It is unacceptable for a militia like Hezbollah to operate outside the authority of the Lebanese government, the only legitimate defender of the Lebanese state is the Lebanese armed forces.

Hezbollah is not just a concern for the United States, the people of Lebanon should also be concerned about how Hezbollah's actions and its growing arsenal bring unwanted and unhelpful scrutiny on Lebanon.

      Image result for House Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday welcomed at his Ain Tineh residence visiting US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson


 














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