This afternoon, President Joseph Aoun visited former President Michel Suleiman at his home in Yarzeh, where they discussed the general situation in Lebanon and the region, in addition to the files that Aoun is carrying in his upcoming official visit to Washington and his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
After the meeting, Suleiman explained that the meeting was held before Aoun headed to the United States, considering that the President of the Republic goes to Washington supported by the majority of the Lebanese, conveying their suffering, concerns, and demands related to sovereignty, stability, and restoring Lebanon’s rights.
Suleiman said: “In my private meeting with His Excellency the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, today at noon, and before he heads to Washington on an official visit by US President Donald Trump, supported by the majority of the Lebanese, conveying their suffering and carrying their concerns and sovereign demands, topical issues that worry Lebanon and its people were discussed.”
He pointed out that during the meeting, Aoun showed sincere intentions and determination to liberate Lebanon and preserve its unique nature, with the democratic and pluralistic model it represents and a civilized and humanitarian message, after many years during which the country paid heavy prices as a result of its association with conflicts and issues that were not at the heart of its national interests.
Suleiman pointed out the destruction, martyrdom and displacement that Lebanon has suffered in recent years, in addition to the losses that have befallen its economy and the continued migration of young talents and energies, considering that the current stage requires the state to move from managing crises to adopting clear options that restore initiative and decision-making to it.
He added that the President of the Republic showed enthusiasm and courage in moving forward with his proposals, after it was not possible to reach other solutions that would save the country and preserve the dignity of the state, the people, and the army, without falling into the arms of the interlocutor or entering into dependence on any foreign country.
Suleiman saw that the approach adopted by Aoun is based on establishing the authority of the Lebanese state in managing sovereign files, and seeking to address the outstanding issues through diplomatic institutions and means, far from keeping Lebanon an arena for settling regional scores or using it as a card in the conflicts of others.
He called on every loyal citizen, as he put it, to pray for the President of the Republic for success, declare his support for his steps, and defend the decisions of the state he heads, especially in light of the delicate stage and the magnitude of the challenges facing Lebanon at the security, political, and economic levels.
Aoun’s visit to Suleiman comes within the framework of the political consultations conducted by the President of the Republic prior to his visit to Washington, where he is scheduled to meet Trump on July 21, after an official invitation sent to him by the White House. It was announced that the visit represents an opportunity to discuss common issues and strengthen the partnership between Lebanon and the United States.
Aoun had considered that his upcoming visit reflects exceptional American interest in Lebanon, and Washington’s support for the path to reaching a permanent solution that ends the cycle of wars and Israeli attacks, and contributes to achieving stability in Lebanon and the region.
The President also discussed preparations for the visit with the American ambassador in Beirut, in parallel with his emphasis on the importance of establishing a ceasefire in the south and addressing the outstanding issues in a way that preserves Lebanese rights and sovereignty.
The visit gains special importance in light of the delicate sovereign issues facing Lebanon, most notably the situation in the south, the Israeli attacks, the future of security arrangements, the negotiation process, and the role of the state and the army in establishing stability and protecting Lebanese lands.
Lebanon is counting on the talks in Washington to contribute to providing political and diplomatic support that will help it regain its rights, press for the implementation of commitments related to the truce, and prevent the continuation of attacks, while strengthening the state’s presence as the only body authorized to negotiate and make sovereign decisions.
The visit also carries an internal political significance, as Aoun seeks to establish an approach based on removing Lebanon from the cycle of wars linked to foreign accounts, and preventing the Lebanese from continuing to pay the prices of conflicts that do not serve their direct interests.
Suleiman’s position reflects clear support for Aoun’s choice, especially in terms of refusing to be dependent on the axes and emphasizing that protecting the state, the army, and the dignity of the Lebanese requires a national rally around legitimate institutions, and giving the diplomatic path an opportunity to achieve results that protect the country from a new war.
This support also gains additional symbolism because it is issued by a former president of the republic, at a time when the country is witnessing a division over the method of managing sovereign files, the limits of negotiation, the relationship with the United States, and the role of regional powers in the Lebanese decision.
Aoun is placing his visit to Washington within a path aimed at restoring the state’s role in negotiating for itself, and confirming that Lebanon does not seek to fall under any axis, but rather to build its foreign relations on the basis of the national interest and the protection of sovereignty and stability.
Between Suleiman’s support for the presidential options and the complex challenges awaiting Aoun in Washington, Lebanese circles are awaiting the results that the meeting with Trump may bring, and the extent to which diplomatic action can transform American interest into practical steps that contribute to stopping the attacks, establishing stability, and launching a political and economic path that will restore confidence in Lebanon and its institutions.
