Aoun says ex-ambassador Karam to lead talks with Israel
President Joseph Aoun said Monday that planned talks with Israel aim to end "hostilities" and the Israeli occupation in the south, as he named ex-ambassador Simon Karam to lead a delegation.
"The choice to negotiate aims to stop hostilities, end the Israeli occupation of southern regions and deploy the (Lebanese) army all the way to the internationally recognized southern borders" with Israel, Aoun said in a statement.
Aoun named former Lebanese ambassador to Washington Karam to head the negotiations, and said the talks will be "separate from any other negotiations", in reference to U.S.-Iran diplomacy to end the wider Middle East war.
"Lebanon faces two choices -- war or negotiations. I have chosen negotiations, and I am fully hopeful that we can save Lebanon," Aoun said.
Aoun revealed that talks are ongoing with U.S. President Donald Trump who had intervened with Israel to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon. Aoun said Trump initiated a negotiating track and communications with him are ongoing to maintain the truce and launch the talks.
MTV reported Monday that a bilateral meeting between Trump and Aoun is in the works and will be held soon.
Source: Naharnet, Agence France Presse
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