President General Joseph Aoun received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron, during which he reviewed with him the general situation in Lebanon and the region in light of the outcomes of the American-Iranian negotiations that took place in Switzerland.
The discussion also addressed the situation in the south following the announcement of the ceasefire and the subsequent steps. The two presidents, Aoun and Macron, also discussed the results of the Summit of the Seven Powers held last week in the French city of Évian, where President Aoun expressed his thanks for the position issued regarding Lebanon.
The two presidents discussed the post-mission phase following the conclusion of the operations of the international forces in the south, “UNIFIL,” particularly with respect to the desire expressed by several European countries—which Lebanon supports—to maintain forces in the international operational area. President Macron indicated that he would conduct outreach to a number of countries to determine their stance on this step, especially since the deadline for UNIFIL’s withdrawal from Lebanon begins at the start of next year, 2027, necessitating the establishment of the necessary framework for any international participation.
The two presidents also addressed Lebanese-Syrian relations and the ongoing coordination between the two countries. President Aoun commended the positions announced by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in his recent television interview, in which he affirmed his country’s commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, stating that Syria has no intention of intervening militarily in Lebanon, that any Syrian role would pass exclusively through the Lebanese state and not through other parties, and that his country seeks to bolster Lebanon’s stability and strengthen its official institutions, rather than providing solutions in their place.
Presidents Aoun and Macron agreed to maintain ongoing communication between them to follow developments and current outreach efforts aimed at consolidating the ceasefire in Lebanon and extending the state’s authority over its entire territory.
President Aoun thanked his French counterpart for the consistent attention he always shows to Lebanon across various domains.
: Lebanese Presidency