Lebanon
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Paris says Lebanon's move on disarmament plan a 'new positive step'

France has called the cabinet's decision to ask the Lebanese Army to implement the disarmament plan "a new positive step."

"France calls on all Lebanese actors to support the peaceful implementation of the plan without delay," the French foreign ministry said.

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Hezbollah MP vows group will not surrender its weapons

A Hezbollah lawmaker vowed that the group will not abandon its weapons, a day after the Lebanese government ordered the army to begin implementing a plan to disarm it.

Amid heavy pressure from the United States and fears Israel might intensify its military operations, the government last month ordered the army to draw up a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year.

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Berri says army's weapons monopoly plan 'preserves civil peace'

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said “things are positive,” after Cabinet on Friday welcomed the Lebanese Army’s plan for the disarmament of Hezbollah and all armed groups in the country.

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Hezbollah's Qmati says govt. statement an 'opportunity to return to wisdom'

Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati told Reuters on Saturday that Hezbollah considers Friday's cabinet session on the Lebanese Army's plan to establish a state monopoly on arms "an opportunity to return to wisdom and reason, preventing the country from slipping into the unknown."

Information Minister Paul Morcos said after Friday's meeting that the army “will start implementing the plan, but according to the available resources — there are limited material and human logistical resources” and that the military “has the right of operational discretion.”

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Report: Cabinet's statement result of Aoun-Berri agreement

The government’s statement on the Lebanese Army’s weapons monopolization plan reflected “the political settlement that was reached prior to the session between President Joseph Aoun and PM Nawaf Salam on one side and the Amal-Hezbollah duo on the other,” the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Saturday.

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Iran tries to find new ways to transfer funds to Hezbollah, report says

Iran has been trying in recent weeks to transfer funds to Hezbollah through Iraq and Syria, with some attempts failing and others succeeding, a media report said.

Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper said Friday that Syrian and Lebanese security authorities have recently detected increased Iranian attempts to pump aid to Hezbollah, adding that some aid has likely been successfully delivered to the group with the help of smuggling networks while other shipments were foiled.

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Govt. 'welcomes' army's weapons monopoly plan, asks for monthly reports

Cabinet on Friday welcomed the Lebanese Army's weapons monopolization plan and decided to keep its details confidential while asking the army to submit monthly reports on its implementation, Information Minister Paul Morcos said after a key session that witnessed a walkout by all five Shiite ministers.

“The army will begin implementing the plan according to its available and limited capabilities,” Morcos added.

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Army plan does not include timeline, report says

The plan that the army will present in today's cabinet session does not include a timetable, LBCI reported Friday.

"The army cannot commit to a fixed deadline as the implementation of the plan depends on logistics, operational resources, and the situation on the ground," the TV channel said, adding that its sources have refuted a report (published Wednesday in ad-Diyar) claiming that Hezbollah's disarmament would start from Beirut.

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Report: International community to reward state's steps

The era of “the war decision outside state control” has ended, Lebanese sources said on Friday, shortly before a key cabinet session on arms monopolization.

“The army’s plan is the start of the arms monopolization course and there will be a continuous revision for improving it,” the sources told Al-Arabiya television.

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Report: Cabinet to discuss army's plan today and continue debate later

The Lebanese Army’s weapons monopolization plan is not complete and it resembles “half a plan,” diplomatic sources told MTV.

“It will be discussed in today’s cabinet session and the debate will be adjourned to a later date to allow for further scrutiny of its clauses and terms in a profound manner,” the sources said.

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