Lebanon's President Urges US To Pressure Israel To Withdraw From Lebanese Territories

Beirut: Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun met in Beirut on Saturday with Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Admiral Brad Cooper.

During the meeting, President Aoun called on the United States to tighten the screws on Israel to pull out from the southern Lebanese territories that it still occupies in order for the Lebanese military to complete deployment to the international borders.

It is very essential to operationalize the Cessation of Hostilities Supervision Committee's operation, cease the Israeli hostilities against Lebanon, pull out from the occupied hills and territories, and release the hostages to significantly contribute to enforcing international resolution 1701, Aoun stressed.

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He pointed out that these steps would streamline the implementation of the Lebanese government's decision concerning the monopoly of arms by the Lebanese armed forces, particularly after the Cabinet has endorsed a plan accordingly.

The continuation of the Israeli assaults hampers the deployment of the Lebanese military to the borderline, albeit over 85 percent of military posture has been accomplished from the area south of the Litani River, Aoun noted.

General Aoun stressed the importance of US military's constant support for the Lebanese army through providing essential equipment to enable it to discharge its missions in safeguarding the security, interdicting smuggling and terror acts, in addition to controlling the Lebanese-Syrian borders.

He noted the tough economic conditions where military men are operating.

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