Aoun: Washington talks aim to restore state authority and prevent any foreign guardianship over Lebanon

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the objective of the negotiations taking place in Washington is to restore the authority of the Lebanese state and ensure that no party exercises guardianship over Lebanon or speaks on behalf of its people.

Speaking during a meeting with a delegation representing municipalities in the Keserwan-Ftouh district, Aoun said municipal officials have a duty to serve their towns and villages and expressed hope that conditions would eventually allow for the implementation of administrative decentralization, noting that the war had disrupted progress on many key issues.

Aoun stressed that Lebanon's challenges, stemming from five decades of poor governance, corruption and successive conflicts, cannot be resolved overnight.

“What Lebanon has suffered over the past 50 years from mismanagement, corruption and repeated wars cannot end in a single night,” he said. “Today, we are working to strengthen the role of the state across various sectors.”

The president said the purpose of the Washington negotiations is to reestablish the state's presence and authority so that Lebanese citizens are no longer dependent on any external actor, whether through a tutelary power or through others negotiating on Lebanon's behalf.

“We are the owners of our own decision,” Aoun said. “Lebanon is a sovereign state with its own identity, resources and people. The Lebanese, who have long contributed to the development of many countries, are capable today of contributing to the reconstruction and revival of their own nation.”

Aoun emphasized that Lebanon must never return to an era of foreign tutelage, regardless of its source. While welcoming assistance from friendly nations, he drew a distinction between support and interference in Lebanon's internal affairs.

“We welcome help from any country, but there is a significant difference between assistance and intervention in Lebanon's domestic affairs for the benefit of another state's interests at the expense of Lebanon's interests,” he said. “That is something we will not accept.”

He added that Lebanon remains open to support from Gulf countries, European nations and others, provided that such assistance is not tied to efforts to influence the country's internal affairs or advance foreign interests.

Aoun also reaffirmed his commitment to the negotiation process, saying he intends to see it through to the end.

“I made the decision to engage in negotiations, and I will continue until the end because Lebanon is a founding member of the United Nations and possesses its own sovereignty and identity,” he said. “I am convinced that wars achieve nothing except losses that are ultimately shared by everyone.”