Lebanese prime minister reaffirms commitment to monopolizing arms nationwide in meeting with French president

​​​​​​​By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reaffirmed his government’s commitment to placing all weapons under state authority during talks Friday with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, according to the prime minister’s office.

The meeting at the Elysee Palace. Which was attended by Lebanon’s ambassador to Paris, focused on ties and preparations for a donor conference in support of the Lebanese army and security forces scheduled in Paris on March 5.

Both leaders underscored progress by the Lebanese army in asserting exclusive control over the area south of the Litani River, while stressing the need for the full implementation of the November 2024 ceasefire deal between Beirut and Tel Aviv.

The Lebanese government on Aug. 5 approved a plan, based on a draft proposal presented by US Special Envoy Tom Barrack, to place all weapons, including those held by Hezbollah, under state control and tasked the army with implementation by the end of 2025.

Hezbollah has repeatedly rejected the move and insists Israeli forces must withdraw from Lebanese territory before any disarmament.

On Jan. 8, the Lebanese army said the first phase of the plan south of the Litani River had been completed and implementation reached an advanced stage, warning that continued Israeli attacks and the occupation of Lebanese territory were undermining the process.

Salam urged an end to Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty and demanded Israel’s withdrawal from all remaining occupied Lebanese territory.

He also told Macron that his government remains committed to completing the process of restricting arms nationwide in line with a plan adopted by the army in September.

The two sides praised the role of the ceasefire monitoring mechanism committee.

On Dec. 3, Lebanon and Israel held their first direct meeting between civilian officials since 1983, after President Joseph Aoun appointed former ambassador to Washington, Simon Karam, to head the Lebanese delegation to the international ceasefire monitoring mechanism.

The mechanism was created under the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel to oversee implementation. It brings together military representatives from Lebanon, France, Israel and the US, alongside the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

In late December, the mechanism met in the southern port city of Naqoura to discuss bolstering the Lebanese army’s capabilities and facilitating the return of displaced Lebanese to their homes.

The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon ended more than a year of attacks that killed more than 4,000 people and injured 17,000 against the backdrop of Israel's war in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon last January under the ceasefire, but instead only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.