President Aoun says talks with Israel have slowed — Anadolu Agency
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said in Baabda that regional and international developments, as well as elections in Israel, may have slowed negotiations on ending the war between Israel and Lebanon. At the same time, he stressed that the negotiation process has not stopped, Anadolu Agency reports.
Aoun made the statement during a meeting with media studies students from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik at the Baabda presidential palace, east of Beirut. According to him, contacts involving Lebanon's ambassador to Washington, Nada Mouawad, and the US administration are continuing to advance the negotiation process.
Purpose of the negotiations
The president said he sees no third option between war and negotiations. He named Beirut's goals as ending the war, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, reconstruction of the country's south, the return of prisoners and displaced people, and preventing the fighting from spreading across all of Lebanon.
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According to Aoun, without negotiations, Israeli attacks could have spread to Beirut and public facilities. The report also notes that Israel continues to control areas in southern Lebanon despite the agreements.
US-mediated agreements
Direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel began on April 14 with a meeting in Washington mediated by the United States. During subsequent rounds, the parties discussed a ceasefire, troop withdrawal, borders, prisoners, and missing persons.
On June 26, Beirut and Tel Aviv signed a framework formula in Washington with US assistance on the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the areas they leave. Despite this, Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon continued. According to Lebanese authorities, since March 2, at least 4,386 people have been killed in the attacks, another 12,413 have been injured, and more than one million people have been displaced.
