Lebanese Presidents Says Country is Waiting for ‘right conditions’ Regarding Weapons

(MENAFN) President Joseph Aoun declared on Sunday that all weaponry in Lebanon will eventually fall under government jurisdiction, although the country will await the “right conditions” before determining how to implement this strategy.

His statement followed a meeting with Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, where he emphasized the public's opposition to conflict and highlighted the national military as the sole entity entrusted with safeguarding Lebanon’s “sovereignty and independence.”

Aoun reiterated that the state would approach the matter of Hezbollah’s arms “with vision and responsibility,” underlining the importance of this move to maintain internal stability.

He affirmed his personal commitment to handling the issue in conjunction with the administration, stating that it was “essential to preserving civil peace.”

While reaffirming his intention to bring all weapons under governmental control, Aoun noted that Lebanon is “waiting for the right conditions to determine how this will be done.”

Hezbollah has yet to respond to the president’s remarks.

In a prior conversation with a news website, Aoun pledged to ensure that all weapons would be state-controlled by 2025.

He suggested that Hezbollah operatives could be absorbed into the Lebanese military structure and would “undergo integration training.”

This discussion comes in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, enacted in 2006 to halt hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.

The resolution called for a demilitarized zone in southern Lebanon and demanded the enforcement of the Taif Agreement, as well as other international resolutions mandating the disarmament of all non-state armed factions in the country.

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