President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, considered that the “Current events in Lebanon did not come by chance, but rather as a result of a reality that caused sterility in the work of the country’s political institutions, corruption that corroded official institutions and administrations, and the reluctance of officials over the past years to address it, which further complicated matters”.

The President’s positions came while meeting a delegation of the American Task Force for Lebanon headed by former Ambassador Ed Gabriel, and the membership of Mr. Najad Fares and Mr. Jay Ghazal, in the presence of the US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea.

President Aoun presented the current political, social and economic conditions, and the reasons that led Lebanon to the situation it is currently suffering from at various levels and in all sectors, noting that he had spared no effort but exerted himself in order to achieve the desired reform, but he was confronted every time with internal obstacles “Which left negative effects on the development of the situation”.

President Aoun also pointed out that the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund reached specific results that must be completed, stressing in this context the need to form a new government to follow up on this fundamental and vital file for the future of economic advancement.

In response to a question from the delegation members, President Aoun affirmed that it is not permissible to delay the process of demarcating the southern maritime borders, stressing the need to activate the American mediation carried out by Ambassador Amos Hochstein to reach quick conclusions, and enable Lebanon to invest its rights of oil and gas in its waters on the one hand, while maintaining stability of borders, and focusing on the importance of the time factor in this regard.

For his side, Ambassador Gabriel conveyed to President Aoun that the group stood by Lebanon and the Lebanese, and made the required efforts with the administration of US President Joe Biden and the US Congress, in order to meet the demands of the Lebanese people, especially in light of these difficult conditions they are suffering from, and stressed the importance of speeding up the events and reforms needed because time is no longer a contributing factor.

Statement:

After the meeting, Ambassador Gabriel made the following statement:

“I would like to thank His Excellency the President for the time he devoted to the American Task Force for Lebanon, to discuss issues facing this country and the relationship with the United States.

We had very good talks and we touched on the importance of Lebanon and its support for US efforts in relation to Russia and other bilateral relations in which Lebanon has been supportive of the United States.

Most importantly, we discussed the worrying reality facing Lebanon and the importance of moving quickly on the economic and social levels before it is too late, and this time is fast approaching, and we also discussed the importance of the government taking quick steps towards the reform program of the International Monetary Fund and other programs and policies that relate to the needs of the Lebanese, and time in this area is essential.

I hope that during this week we will meet with other government officials, members of the parliamentary opposition and influencers in decision-making, and we will carry this very important message for Lebanon to take the step and implement political change before it is too late. The Lebanese people are trying to make progress in this area, and that is our goal this week.

The American Task Force for Lebanon cares a lot about the Lebanese people and Lebanon, and we will return to America and work hard to meet the needs of the Lebanese, and we hope that the government will become a partner with the United States to solve its problems”.

Questions & Answers:

Question: How do you evaluate President Biden’s visit to the region and its impact on Lebanon?

Answer: “President Biden did not forget Lebanon, and during his meetings he raised many issues that affect this country, and stressed the importance of the safety and sovereignty of the Lebanese territory. I would like to point out that during the past world the United States provided aid worth more than 700 million dollars to the Lebanese people, and this shows great commitment to this country. However, a partner is needed and this partner must be the Lebanese government, which must move quickly because time is running out.

In this context, the US President, the government and the Congress fully appreciate the importance of Lebanon, and hope that it will take the first and most important step”.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon