NNA - President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, renewed his thanks to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV for "all the efforts he is making to support Lebanon in achieving its demands to end the occupation and Israeli attacks on its territory." President Aoun called on Pope Leo to "continue supporting these demands, foremost among them compelling Israel to implement the provisions of the framework formula, immediately halt its attacks on villages, infrastructure and civilians in the south, and withdraw from the areas it occupies."

President Aoun made the remarks during his meetings earlier today with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Archbishop Richard Gallagher, at the start of his visit to the Vatican.

The President of the Republic arrived at 9:30 a.m. at St. Damasus Square in the Vatican, where he was received by the Vatican’s Master of Ceremonies, Monsignor Javier Fernández González. He was then escorted, accompanied by the Papal Swiss Guard, to the Pope’s office, where he held a 30-minute private meeting with His Holiness.

The meeting was followed by talks between President Aoun, the Vatican Secretary of State, and the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, during which they discussed the latest developments in Lebanon, as well as Israel’s repeated attacks on Lebanese villages, infrastructure, and civilians.

During both meetings, President Aoun thanked the Holy See for "all the efforts it has been making to support Lebanon, particularly since the Holy Father’s latest visit to the country."  

President Aoun called on the Pope and officials of the Holy See to "continue their diplomatic efforts at all international forums to advance Lebanon’s demands, foremost among them compelling Israel to implement the provisions of the framework agreement, which was signed under U.S. auspices on June 26, and to halt its daily attacks, which particularly target civilians, civilian facilities, infrastructure, and villages in the south."

President Aoun also called on the Holy Father and the Holy See to "support Lebanon in securing Israel’s full withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese territories, paving the way for the reconstruction of what Israel has destroyed and the return of displaced people to their homes and villages."

The President stressed "that these steps must be accompanied by extending the authority of the Lebanese state over its entire territory and placing  the decision of war and peace solely in its hands, as the only way to achieve security and stability along the border."

President Aoun also presented the Holy Father with a bust of Blessed Patriarch Elias Howayek, containing his relics.