President Aoun says negotiations remain the only path to restoring Lebanon’s rights

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun chaired a meeting on Tuesday attended by Army Commander Rodolph Haykal and members of the advisory team accompanying the Lebanon-U.S.-Israel negotiations in Washington, as officials reviewed developments from the fifth round of talks.

Aoun said recent developments had confirmed the correctness of Lebanon’s decision to pursue negotiations, describing them as the only internationally recognized means of achieving national objectives and restoring the country’s rights.

He expressed hope that the current round of talks, continuing over the coming days, would prove decisive in advancing Lebanon’s goals, which he said include restoring full sovereignty over all Lebanese territory and extending state authority across the country.

Aoun stressed that Lebanon would accept nothing less than the end of the Israeli occupation and the removal of all forms of foreign tutelage, saying the country’s sole choice is national sovereignty and its only guarantee is the Lebanese state.

He added that a strong state is the only institution capable of protecting all citizens, safeguarding their freedoms and dignity, and ensuring the benefits of the sacrifices made by the Lebanese people.