Issa relays Trump's greetings to Aoun, says there's 'hope for Lebanon'
The new U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa on Monday met with President Joseph Aoun and Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji and submitted his credentials to them, kicking off his mission in Lebanon.
A Presidency statement said Issa relayed U.S. President Donald Trump's greetings to Aoun and his keenness on boosting U.S.-Lebanese ties and developing them in all fields.
The U.S. Embassy in Beirut meanwhile said Issa reaffirmed U.S. support for "a sovereign, peaceful, prosperous Lebanon."
Issa later met with Speaker Nabih Berri, with Ain el-Tineh sources saying the meeting was "good and frank."
Issa, who is a Lebanese-American, had attended a mass in his hometown Bsous on Sunday.
Speaking to worshipers in church, Issa thanked U.S. President Donald Trump, calling him a “very important person” in his life.
“If I didn’t think that there is hope for Lebanon, that Lebanon could return to what it once was, I wouldn’t have accepted to come” to Lebanon, Issa said in Arabic, in which he is fluent along with English and French.
“Hopefully we will all be one hand, regardless of the sect, religion or region we belong to,” he added, stressing that “we should remember that Lebanon is a unified country and we must learn to be together.”
“There is hope that is before us and hopefully we will become more aware. The entire world is looking at us and the entire world is willing to help us, but if we don’t help ourselves, no one will help us,” the ambassador added.
“Perhaps my presence here will change the world’s thinking a bit, but I hope things will become better in the near future,” Issa said.
Source: Naharnet
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