Mekki: Lebanon Does Not Approach Negotiations from a Position of Surrender

Lebanon is not entering negotiations from a position of surrender but rather from a pursuit to reclaim land and sovereignty, State Minister for Administrative Development Fadi Mekki declared during a meeting. He stressed that the national priority today is to stop the killing and destruction while preserving internal unity.

Mekki affirmed that the Lebanese administration, despite the collapse and crises, remains capable of securing a minimum level of public services. He noted that reactivating state institutions requires addressing the vacancy crisis and weak capabilities, given the limited resources of the Ministry of Administrative Development, whose budget does not exceed approximately $590,000.

Negotiations and State Authority

The minister explained that the current negotiations do not fall under peace talks but aim in their first phase to halt hostile operations and secure an Israeli withdrawal. Any subsequent approach, he added, remains within the framework of the Arab Peace Initiative and the resolutions of the Arab League.

Mekki emphasized that the Lebanese government is committed to extending state authority over all Lebanese territory and ensuring the monopoly of weapons in the hands of the state, parallel to efforts to recover occupied lands through the negotiation track in a way that preserves national interest and Lebanese sovereignty.

Message to the South and Financial Reforms

Addressing the people of his town of Habouch and southerners in general, Mekki sent a message asserting that "the return is inevitable," expressing hope it would happen with the least possible damage amid daily attacks and systematic destruction targeting the region.

Regarding his position during Cabinet sessions on August 5 and 7, 2025, Mekki clarified that he faced significant pressure on the issue of the monopoly of weapons. His decision to withdraw from the August 7 session, he said, stemmed from his concern to calm the political climate and preserve the national interest, which remains the fundamental compass.

On the financial file, Mekki considered that structural reforms—including forensic auditing, reassessing the banking sector, and improving governance—constitute an essential entry point for restoring depositors' rights and rebuilding trust in the state and its institutions. He noted that his technocratic background might be more suitable for reform and rescue paths within the government, while political crises and exceptional circumstances impose challenges of a different nature.