What will Aoun tell Trump about Hezbollah’s weapons?
President Joseph Aoun has said that "as long as Hezbollah’s allegiance is to Iran, there will be no progress.”
“The issues will be resolved when the party's allegiance becomes Lebanese, not Iranian," said Aoun in a chat with journalists.
He emphasized that "the issue of Hezbollah cannot be addressed by force," explaining that "the party is not just weapons, but also an environment (popular base)," therefore, "matters cannot be resolved as easily as some imagine."
In response to a question, Aoun affirmed that if Hezbollah does not cooperate with the efforts to end the war in the south, it will “bear the responsibility for its decision and prove that its allegiance is to Iran, not Lebanon.”
He added that he would inform U.S. President Donald Trump in his upcoming visit to Washington that addressing Hezbollah's weapons must be done “within Lebanon, not from abroad, and within a comprehensive social, economic and security strategy.”
“The crucial point is to address the root cause of the weapons' presence in the party's hands,” Aoun said.
On another front, Aoun expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of "positive steps on the ground next week."
He considered Trump's invitation to visit the White House a "positive boost," noting that he would travel "to speak with him face-to-face" and explain Lebanon's history from 1949 to the present.
Aoun emphasized that the visit represents a "golden opportunity" to tell the U.S. administration that "America's credibility is at stake in implementing the framework agreement," urging Washington to have "stronger motivation and greater interest" in compelling the parties to adhere to the agreement.
He also stressed that he would explain in the U.S. "how cooperation with Hezbollah should proceed to resolve the issue of weapons," rather than talking about "disarmament," because "it is an arduous process, especially since the weapons are not located in specific barracks” but are rather “hidden everywhere."
Source: Naharnet
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