Samir Geagea Meets President Aoun in Baabda Amid Positive Atmosphere

Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces party, stated that Lebanon cannot remain in uncertainty and stressed the need for Israel to withdraw from the south and for reconstruction to take place, but emphasized that all this requires the establishment of a functioning state.

Following his meeting with a delegation from the Strong Republic bloc and President Joseph Aoun in Baabda, Geagea pointed out that no progress can be made without an actual state in Lebanon, which necessitates having a single army and one weapon. He added that all must comply with decisions issued by the Lebanese state, and that confessionalism is embodied in the formation of the parliament and government, warning against misusing such concepts.

He further noted that the Lebanese state, represented by the presidents of the republic and the government, is responsible for deciding on critical issues, including matters related to the Israeli presence, and not any political party. Geagea mentioned that they wished for President Aoun to continue with the framework agreement, clarifying that none of them are attached to the agreement, but currently negotiations remain the only solution.

Responding to a question about the state taking unilateral decisions, Geagea affirmed that this is how it should operate, emphasizing that Hezbollah does not determine state actions.

Regarding the Islamabad track, he asserted that it concerns American and Iranian interests and is unrelated to Lebanese interests, serving only Iran's attempt to maintain influence in Lebanon, which keeps the country in the same cycle. He added that President Aoun intends to pursue the framework agreement to its conclusion, acknowledging the difficulty of this and calling for unity behind the state instead of directing accusations at it.

Additionally, information obtained by MTV revealed that President Aoun and Geagea held a private half-hour meeting after the session with the bloc’s deputies, during which a very positive atmosphere prevailed.