Junblat 'reassured' after 'friendly' meeting with President Aoun
Druze leader and former chief of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblat held talks Tuesday with President Joseph Aoun in what he described as a "friendly" meeting.
"The visit was friendly and reassuring despite all the campaigns that are raising doubts," Jumblat said as he left the Baabda palace.
"The Lebanese Army is doing a tremendous job in the South," he added.
The meeting comes as Lebanon's government seeks to disarm Hezbollah under intense U.S. and Israeli pressure.
Lebanon's army chief on Monday briefed the government for the first time on its plan to disarm Hezbollah, while Israel carried out airstrikes in southern and northeastern Lebanon that killed two people. The Cabinet decided to keep the plan and all discussions about it “secret.”
Hezbollah has rejected the plan, saying it won’t discuss disarmament as long as Israel continues to occupy several hills along the border and carries out almost daily strikes.
The Lebanese government first aimed to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, but officials later said resources are too limited to meet the deadline. The current aim is to fully clear a stretch along the Lebanon-Israel border, defined as south of the Litani river, by the end of November before moving into further phases.
Lebanon's army has suffered from the repercussions of the country's economic meltdown six years ago but Western and Arab countries have offered support.
Source: Naharnet, Associated Press
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