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Lebanon
Baabda Palace hosted a series of parliamentary, legal, and diplomatic meetings this morning, during which President Joseph Aoun reviewed with his visitors the latest developments in Lebanon and the region, as well as a number of domestic files.
Al-Riashi
In this context, President Aoun received member of the "Strong Republic" parliamentary bloc MP Melhem Riashi, as an envoy from the president of the Lebanese Forces party Samir Geagea, and reviewed with him the latest developments on the local and regional scenes.
After the meeting, Riashi stated to the press: "I met with His Excellency the President as an envoy from the president of the Lebanese Forces. We had a general tour d'horizon of current events, particularly the negotiations between Lebanon and Israel for a ceasefire and managing the situation in the south. We were in complete agreement on the overall current scene, and expressed full support for His Excellency's steps and complete backing for his performance and the work he is doing. We encourage him to meet with US President Donald Trump, and if there are other meetings that will take place, they should happen at the right time and not now, and following a specific achievement, not at the beginning of the road but at the end. We have no objection to any step that liberates Lebanon and its people, especially our people in the south."
He was asked: Is the United States still engaging positively with the Lebanese file?
He replied: "I understood from His Excellency that there is complete positivity from the United States in dealing with him, and they are very positive about the negotiations and resolving the matter of south Lebanon as quickly as possible by the proper means."
He was asked: The US Secretary of State spoke about a new arrangement the United States is working on, did you get any information from the President on this?
He replied: "No, there is nothing ready on that. The basis today is a ceasefire and the establishment of peace in the south, and the steps of negotiations that have no alternative whatsoever. We are following all of this with the President and have his complete support."
MP Riashi clarified that "the Lebanese Forces" are working to "open closed doors and find common ground with various parties."
Murtinus
President Aoun received Beirut Bar Association President Imad Murtinus, who handed him a memo on the Bar Association's vision for the current phase as a natural partner in protecting constitutional legitimacy and upholding the law.
The memo affirmed the following: "First, full support for every reform step aimed at entrenching the state project, building institutions, activating the principle of accountability, combating corruption, and restoring the regularity of public work. Second, the urgent need for cohesive central management of the crisis under your presidency and direct supervision, based on coordination between constitutional authorities and relevant agencies through the formation of a national crisis cell comprising political, diplomatic, legal, military, and security specialists, who will assist Your Excellency in: 1 — Following up on the path of negotiations and contacts with international and regional parties. 2 — Assessing security, political, and economic risks arising from current developments and taking measures in that regard. 3 — Managing official and media communication in a way that reassures citizens and limits divisive rumors and psychological and social pressures. 4 — The Bar Association's volunteering of its scientific and professional capacities, and its expertise in public international and private law, international arbitration, human rights, and international humanitarian law, in deploying its legal expertise to defend Lebanon's interests and represent it when necessary before international competent bodies and forums, preparing necessary memos, studies, and pleadings, and contributing to any international legal process aimed at preserving Lebanon's rights and defending its legitimate interests. Third, working with the liberal professions syndicates to form a national driving force, each working within its specialization and capabilities, to ensure the success of the state project that this administration has adopted as a broad heading for the presidential term."
Statement
After the meeting, President Murtinus stated: "The meeting with His Excellency the President was in the framework of reading national themes toward building the state and the state project. Of course, His Excellency the President does not need support or an additional vote for his initiative, but as the official of a syndicate that has always been concerned with protecting the constitution, safeguarding legitimacy, and applying laws, I look at the presidential initiative as one that will lead to the preservation of sovereignty and the liberation and recovery of the land."
He added: "We came to encourage His Excellency the President in all the international contacts he has made in order for us to be able to stop the machine of destruction and the Israeli aggressions against Lebanese territory, the journalists, the civil properties, and ambulances, and to call upon all Lebanese and especially officials to stand by the President of the Republic in this mission so that we can preserve Lebanon for the Lebanese and recover our land. I also confirmed to the President of the Republic that we are today in the process of meeting with the presidents of liberal profession syndicates to take a position regarding what is happening, and God willing we will relay the picture to him later."
At Baabda Palace, Lebanon's Ambassador to Cyprus Rina Charbel arrived on the occasion of assuming her new duties, where President Aoun provided her with his guidance to work on strengthening and developing the bilateral relations between the two countries in all fields.
