Baabda: President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, on Tuesday welcomed a high-level U.S. congressional delegation at Baabda Palace, including Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Lindsey Graham, and Representative Joe Wilson, in the presence of U.S. envoy Ambassador Tom Barrack, Morgan Ortagus, and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson. Talks reportedly focused on developments in Lebanon and the region, as well as the outcomes of the delegation’s visits to Israel and Syria.
According to National News Agency – Lebanon, President Aoun thanked the U.S. administration and Congress for their continued support for Lebanon in line with directives from former President Donald Trump. The President expressed satisfaction with the Syrian leadership’s readiness to establish strong bilateral ties, affirming Lebanon’s willingness to address unresolved issues in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect. Aoun also reiterated Lebanon’s full support for Syria’s unity and territorial integrity.
Discussing the delegation’s visit to Israel, President Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to the November 27 ceasefire declaration, endorsed by the previous government with U.S.-French sponsorship. He also reiterated full adherence to the U.S.-Lebanon joint declaration approved unanimously by Cabinet.
President Aoun thanked the U.S. for its ongoing support of the Lebanese Armed Forces, calling for continued international engagement to accelerate reconstruction and economic recovery. He welcomed the U.S. vision to rescue Lebanon, built on exclusive state control over arms and national defense decisions, economic revitalization through private-sector leadership and diaspora investment, and the preservation of Lebanon’s consociational democracy, which ensures equality and partnership for all communities under a pluralistic, democratic system.