BEIRUT: Senior Lebanese officials said Saturday’s discussions with the visiting US deputy special envoy for the Middle East were positive, with talks focusing on south Lebanon amid a fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah.
The Lebanese presidency described the meeting held on Saturday between Joseph Aoun and Morgan Ortagus as “constructive.”
It added that the discussion with President Aoun “covered the situation in southern Lebanon and on the Lebanese-Syrian border, as well as financial and economic reforms and combating corruption.”
Ortagus arrived in Beirut on Friday evening and held a series of meetings on Saturday with Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolph Haykal and Lebanese Forces Party leader Samir Geagea.
It marked her second visit to Lebanon, following a trip in early February during which she made strong statements against Hezbollah.
Hezbollah “will not be part of the Lebanese government and it has been militarily defeated, signaling the end of its reign of terror in Lebanon and globally,” she said at the time.
Additional meetings this week were scheduled between Ortagus and other officials, including Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Economy Minister Amer Bisat and newly appointed Central Bank Gov. Karim Souaid.
Th Lebanese officials are set to leave for New York City for the 2025 spring meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund, taking place from April 21-26.
Ortagus did not deliver a statement following the Lebanon meetings.
Natasha Franceschi, US deputy assistant secretary for the Levant and Syria, and US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson joined her during the talks.
“Ortagus was understanding, and the atmosphere of the meeting with her differed from the previous time,” said a political source familiar with the meetings.
Regarding the disarmament of illegal weapons, the source said that Ortagus commended the efforts of the Lebanese army in the south and highlighted the importance of forces continuing their duties.
The source added that the official position of Lebanon, which all officials agreed to present to the American envoy on Saturday, is that Lebanon is willing to negotiate with Israel on completing the demarcation of the land border.
“However, there will be no negotiations regarding the release of Lebanese prisoners or Israel’s withdrawal from the five Lebanese hills it still occupies,” they added.
“These two matters are Israel’s responsibility, and it must fully implement the ceasefire agreement, which includes halting aggression against Lebanese territories.”
The source said that Ortagus highlighted the importance of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.
She was briefed on Lebanon’s position regarding the process for demarcating maritime borders in previous years, the source said. Led by former US envoy Amos Hochstein, the process involved a technical-military committee and shuttle diplomacy.
Ortagus focused her talks on “the issue of withdrawing Hezbollah’s illegal weapons, linking the significance of this matter to restoring trust in Lebanon and enabling the country to secure funds for reconstruction.”
The prime minister’s media office said that Ortagus commended the government’s reform plan.
She highlighted several initiatives that had been implemented, including the abolition of banking secrecy, the proposed legislation for banking sector reform, the introduction of a new appointment mechanism for state administrations, and the government’s strategies for administrative and institutional reform, as well as anti-corruption efforts.
There was also an emphasis on the importance of reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
The meeting between Ortagus and the prime minister lasted more than an hour and included a private discussion between the officials.
Salam’s media office said that the meeting was characterized by a “positive atmosphere.”
Regarding developments in the south, the media office said that discussions focused on the measures being implemented by the Lebanese army to enforce UN Resolution 1701 and the security arrangements aimed at halting hostilities, in collaboration with the military monitoring committee.
The process of completing Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory was also addressed.
The US envoy expressed satisfaction with the actions the government had begun to take at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut.
Regarding the situation at the Lebanese-Syrian border, Ortagus highlighted the importance “of fully securing the area to prevent any tensions or chaos, as well as to eliminate all forms of smuggling.”
The media office of the speaker of the parliament described the meeting, which included a private session with the American envoy, as “good and constructive.”
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