Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said a meeting with his US counterpart Donald Trump in Washington next month would yield “positive outcomes” for Lebanon and reflects “unprecedented” American interest in the country.
Mr Aoun is to visit the White House on July 21 for his first face-to-face meeting with the US President, the Lebanese embassy in Washington confirmed on Tuesday.
It said the invitation for talks at the White House “reflects the enduring partnership” between the countries and “provides an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss issues of mutual interest, including bilateral relations, regional security and continued US support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, stability, territorial integrity and state institutions”.
“I expect my upcoming visit to Washington and my meeting with US President Donald Trump to bring positive outcomes for Lebanon,” Mr Aoun said on Wednesday.
He said the talks “reflect the unprecedented level of US interest in Lebanon and US support for efforts to find a lasting solution to the cycle of wars and Israeli attacks on our country, and to achieve stability across the Middle East”.
Mr Aoun's visit to the White House will come after Lebanon and Israel signed a US-backed framework agreement last month aimed at stopping the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The deal was brokered by the US after several rounds of direct talks between Lebanon and Israel in Washington. The Lebanese state has insisted on negotiating its own deal, separate from the US-Iran interim agreement.
“I chose negotiations because I could not stand by and watch my country being driven into the abyss in service of another country's interests,” said Mr Aoun, in renewed criticism of Hezbollah and Iran. He has previously accused Tehran of using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in talks with Washington.
Mr Aoun said he opted for the discussions to “stop Israel's killing and destruction and ultimately end its occupation”.
“This step is supported by the majority of the Lebanese people, including members of the Shiite community, which has paid the highest price of the wars in southern Lebanon,” Mr Aoun said. “We remain committed to the decision we have taken.”
The talks between Mr Trump and Mr Aoun are expected to focus on fulfilling the requirements of the framework agreement, including the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the extension of Lebanese state authority in the south of the country.
The agreement has raised concerns among diplomats and Lebanese officials over its uncertain legal standing, the lack of any timetable for Israel to remove its troops from Lebanon and the possibility that the US and Iran will negotiate different terms relating to Lebanon.
Lebanon and Israel are also apparently scheduled to meet for a new round of talks next week in Rome, according to an Israeli announcement. But Lebanese officials say they were not notified of the decision.
“We don’t know anything. The Israelis are saying this but we still do not have any notice,” a source told The National on Tuesday. The source added that Italian authorities were also caught off guard by the Israeli announcement.
