President of Lebanon: Negotiations with Israel are not a sign of weakness

Negotiations with Israel are not a sign of weakness, a retreat, and do not mean Lebanon's abandonment of its rights.

As reported by TASS, President of the Republic Joseph Aoun stated this in an address to the citizens of the country.

"These negotiations are not a sign of weakness, a retreat, or a concession," he emphasized. In his conviction, "negotiations do not mean the abandonment of any rights."

"We stand before a new stage of transitioning from working on a ceasefire to working on permanent agreements that will preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation," the president said. According to him, the country's authorities "for the first time in half a century restored Lebanon's right to make decisions" and to conduct negotiations independently.

On Friday at 01:00 Baku time, a 10-day truce with Israel came into effect in Lebanon. The agreement was reached by President of the Republic Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the mediation of American leader Donald Trump. The agreement on a 10-day ceasefire is considered the first step toward a negotiation process with Israel that would ensure the conclusion of a long-term agreement between the two sides.