Lebanese President Aoun reiterates commitment to talks with Israel

WASHINGTON, United States — BEIRUT — Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Wednesday that he remains committed to negotiations with Israel and will not allow the country to be dragged into further instability on behalf of another state. Speaking to reporters, Aoun said he chose the path of talks to keep Lebanon from collapsing and does not intend to reverse that decision. Aoun said he expects his upcoming visit to the United States and planned meeting with President Donald Trump to yield positive outcomes for Lebanon. He added that Washington backs efforts to reach a lasting resolution to Israeli attacks on Lebanon. His comments come as the two sides prepare for a sixth round of ambassador-level talks in Rome on July 15-16. The discussions follow a framework agreement signed in Washington last month that envisions a phased Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the south in exchange, with the disarmament of Hezbollah to begin in designated "pilot zones." Implementation details of the agreement are to be finalized in subsequent stages. No further information on the timeline was immediately available.