JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
He said these priorities were reflected in recent Cabinet decisions, taken after Lebanon “faced a war that it did not choose, but was forced on it.”
Speaking at the UN General Assembly’s annual debate, Salam said the war persists “despite our repeated warnings of the dangers of engaging in it.”
“As the war spreads across the region and initiatives to end it abound, we adhere to a principle that admits no compromise: no one speaks on behalf of Lebanon, and no one conducts negotiations except the Lebanese State, through its constitutional institutions.”
He rejected any return to Lebanon that was used as an arena for conflict by other parties or as a bargaining tool.
“Lebanon’s future should not be decided in the name of the country, and its security and stability should not be the price of an agreement reached in the country’s absence,” he said.
End the war
Lebanon’s position in the war was clear from the start, Salam said: an end to fighting, a consolidated ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, the release of all prisoners, and the return of residents to their villages and reconstruction.
On this basis, he said, the Lebanese State has entered negotiations with Israel, under the auspices of the United States and its President, to reach an agreement aimed at ending the war and restoring Lebanon’s full sovereignty.
Success, he continued, is not measured by stated intentions, but by implementation.
He emphasized the need to translate the tripartite framework reached in the negotiations into practical steps, with a clear timetable and verification mechanisms to ensure that all its provisions are implemented.
Avoids blanks after UNIFIL
Mr. Salam praised the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFILE), including its leadership, personnel and staff, for their courage and sacrifice in maintaining stability, supporting the Lebanese army and implementing Security Council resolution 1701a 2006 action designed to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
He noted Security Council resolution 2790, which mandates the end of UNIFIL operations by the end of this year and the start of a phased withdrawal, and called on the Secretary-General to explore options to continue supporting the implementation of resolution 1701.
Mr Salam stressed the need to avoid a vacuum if UNIFIL withdrew without agreement on a new international force that would replace it and continue monitoring, reporting and cooperation.
Humanitarian victims
The Prime Minister described the war as having caused a widespread humanitarian crisis and major damage to housing, public facilities, infrastructure and productive sectors, leaving many Lebanese without their homes or livelihoods.
He thanked UN agencies and international partners for their humanitarian support and called for sustainable funding to meet the basic needs of those affected, especially refugees, alongside support for early recovery, reconstruction and development.
Lebanon fulfills its own responsibilities in carrying out reforms and expanding state authority throughout its territory, he said, but the international community must also assume its responsibilities in upholding Lebanon’s sovereignty and implementing international legitimacy resolutions.
