International community differ on Hezbollah disarmament in Lebanon aid talks — the details

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

The disarmament of Hezbollah must be the top priority before any other issue in Lebanon, a message U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson conveyed to Lebanese officials in recent meetings.

This position from Washington is not new and aligns particularly with Saudi Arabia's stance. 

However, it does not fully align with the views of other members of the Quintet Committee.

Egypt advocates for separating the economic track from the issue of exclusive state control over weaponry. It believes that Lebanon's access to International Monetary Fund aid should only be linked to its commitment to implementing reforms, not disarmament.

France, whose presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian has begun talks with Lebanese officials, believes it is necessary to work on the issue of exclusive state control over weapons in parallel with reconstruction and aid efforts for Lebanon, without any single issue overshadowing the others.

All these issues were raised during the first day of talks between French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian and Lebanese officials. 

Le Drian emphasized the importance of advancing reforms and passing laws related to banking sector restructuring and addressing the financial gap, considering these essential for securing international aid. 

Le Drian also reaffirmed France's interest in organizing an international conference for Lebanon's reconstruction. In parallel, he reiterated his country's position on the necessity of confining weaponry to the Lebanese state.

For his part, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated the Parliament's commitment to completing all required reform legislation.

Regarding the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Berri emphasized the importance of France's role in supporting Lebanon against conspiracies targeting the international forces that aim to undermine them and Lebanon, especially in the south.

Ultimately, the Lebanese side has repeatedly heard these demands from international and regional envoys, but the real challenge remains in their implementation.