Lebanon asserted sovereignty

By Weedah Hamzah and Amira Rajab

United Nations (dpa) — Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Friday that only the Lebanese state has the right to negotiate on the country’s behalf, as he called for an end to Israeli attacks and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.

“As the war in the region expands and initiatives to end it multiply, we have adhered to a principle that cannot be compromised: No one speaks on behalf of Lebanon, and no one negotiates for it, except the Lebanese state through its constitutional institutions,” Salam told the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

His remarks appeared aimed in particular at Iran and its ally, the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, which maintains its own armed forces and has played a central role in the conflict with Israel.

Salam said Lebanon did not want to be drawn into regional conflicts or used as a bargaining chip, stressing that the state must have sole authority over weapons and decisions of war and peace.

Lebanon asserted sovereignty

He said Lebanon had been drawn into a war it had not chosen despite repeated warnings about the danger of becoming involved.

“Lebanon wants an immediate end to the war, the consolidation of the ceasefire and Israel’s withdrawal from all Lebanese territory up to its internationally recognized borders,” Salam said, referring to the 1949 Armistice Agreement and U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.

Despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire earlier this year, hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have continued, with both sides accusing each other of violations. The Israeli military continues to carry out near-daily attacks in Lebanon and maintains troops at several positions in the country.

Salam also called for the release of Lebanese prisoners, the return of displaced people and the reconstruction of areas destroyed during the war.

US-mediated talks with Israel

Salam said Lebanon had entered negotiations with Israel under U.S. auspices aimed at ending the conflict and restoring the country’s full sovereignty.

Lebanon asserted sovereignty

“The sovereignty we insist on is indivisible,” he said, stressing that this required both an Israeli withdrawal and the Lebanese state extending its authority across the country and establishing exclusive control over weapons.

Salam said a framework reached in the negotiations was based on reciprocity and phased implementation, but stressed that any agreement would ultimately depend on both sides fulfilling their commitments.

He called for the June framework deal to be translated into concrete steps under a clear timetable and with a mechanism to verify implementation.

Salam warns of security vacuum after UNIFIL

Salam also warned of a potential security vacuum in southern Lebanon following the planned withdrawal of the U.N. peacekeeping mission UNIFIL.

Lebanon asserted sovereignty

He said an agreement on a new international presence to replace the peacekeepers should be reached before their departure.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously decided last year that UNIFIL’s mandate should end on December 31, 2026, after which the mission is to be wound down within a year.

The Lebanese government had repeatedly called for the mission to be extended.

The Lebanese military is expected to assume control following UNIFIL’s departure. Options under discussion include international support and training for the Lebanese armed forces as well as monitoring through an international or European mechanism.

UNIFIL was established in 1978 to monitor the border area between Israel and Lebanon. the war.