The US reaffirmed its support for Lebanon during a Friday phone call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, according to the Lebanese Presidency.
The two discussed the current situation in Lebanon and the wider region in light of recent developments, the presidency said in a statement.
During the call, Rubio stressed that the US “stands with Lebanon” and said Washington would work to achieve “security and stability” in the country, ensure “the extension of state authority over all its territory,” and support Lebanon’s legitimate political, security and military institutions, “foremost among them the army.”
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Aoun thanked Rubio for US support for Lebanon and stressed the need to halt Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory through a “comprehensive ceasefire.”
He said such a comprehensive ceasefire is “what Lebanon considers a cornerstone” for progress in Lebanese-US-Israeli negotiations scheduled to take place in Washington next week.
According to the presidency, Aoun said the talks aim to achieve Lebanon’s “constant objectives” of restoring the country’s “security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
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