Aoun: We Don't Want War with Anyone, U.S. Must Put End to Israel Violations

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

President Michel Aoun on Thursday called on Washington to press Israel to stop its "continued violations against Lebanon's territorial, maritime and aerial sovereignty," during talks in Baabda with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Aoun also told Tillerson that the U.S. should urge Israel to "commit to the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701."

Rejecting Israel's claims about owning parts of Lebanon's Exclusive Economic Zone in the Lebanese territorial waters, the president emphasized that Lebanon is "committed to calm on the southern border."

"We don't want war with anyone, whereas Israel is continuing its attacks on us and the memories of its wars are still vivid in the minds of southerners. That's why we call on the United Nations and the international community to play an active role in this regard," Aoun added.

Thanking the U.S. for its continued support for the Lebanese Army, the president said: "The same as we liberated the land from terrorist groups, we will continue to dismantle the remaining cells through preemptive security operations."

Turning to the Syrian refugee crisis, Aoun said Lebanon "which hosted more than 1.85 million Syrian refugees on its soil since the beginning of the bloody events in Syria, can no longer bear further repercussions on its security, stability, economy and social, educational and health situations."

"The United States stands with the Lebanese people for a free and democratic Lebanon," Tillerson, the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country in four years, wrote in the visitors' book after the talks with Aoun.

Tillerson arrived in the Lebanese capital earlier in the day as part of a regional tour.

The visit coincides with heightened tensions between Lebanon and Israel over oil and gas reserves and Israel's construction of a border wall that Lebanon says encroaches on its territory.

The long-standing maritime dispute resurfaced recently as Lebanon invited companies to sign exploration deals. U.S. officials have previously tried to mediate the dispute.

Lebanon is also protesting Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace, often to bomb targets inside neighboring Syria.

Comments 7
Thumb galaxy 15 February 2018, 15:59

Aoun: We Don't Want War with Anyone

then get your glorious iranian resistance out of Syria, Iraq and Yemen among many other places and stfu.

Thumb Mystic 15 February 2018, 18:49

That is incorrect, because the majority of the Lebanese people supports Hezbollah.

Thumb EagleDawn 15 February 2018, 18:50

"Insulting a Lebanese President "

mystic the shia irani never insulted President Michel Suleiman;)!

"Mystic 29 December 2013, 22:53

Our President is a bought man, when his term is finished, he will still receive a nice big sum of Saudi oil $$$
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/111828

Mystic 02 April 2014, 16:08

Yes Mr. President we need a real leader, not a Saudi puppet such as yourself sir.
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/124840"

Thumb Mystic 15 February 2018, 19:28

Yet I never told him to shut up.

Insults are not the same as facts.

Thumb liberty 16 February 2018, 06:21

lmao@facts!!!

Missing phillipo 15 February 2018, 23:44

Wouldn't it be easier, and certainly in the interests of Lebanon if President Aoun stated that the government should sit down with Israel and reach a peace treaty.
Or is he afraid of being assassinated for this?

Missing phillipo 16 February 2018, 17:45

Surely you mean, when the Palestinians decide that they want to make peace with Israel, not take pieces of Israel.
Remember, Lebanon has no territorial arguments with Israel, except for a small wedge of coastal water, so all the rest should be a lot easier than the rest.
Egypt and Jordan found the way to have peace and have only gained from this peace, and so could Lebanon. Just today we read of the electricity problem, just like Israel supplies electricity to Gaza (when they agree to pay for it), so in the interim until a solution is found, could Lebanon.