Press Conference of His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs at the Lebanese Presidential Palace
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the
Most Merciful,
May the peace, blessings, and mercy of God be
upon you.
Firstly, we extend our heartfelt congratulations
to General Joseph Aoun on his appointment as President of the Republic. We congratulate
Lebanon on the end of its presidential vacancy, and we hope that this
significant step will pave the way for lasting security and stability in
Lebanon.
We also look forward to the formation of the
Lebanese government, hopefully soon, and to completing all necessary steps to
strengthen state institutions in order to fulfill the aspirations of the
Lebanese people.
Our visit today to Beirut is a gesture of support
from the State of Qatar. The State of Qatar has always stood by Lebanon and its
people, in both times of joy and times of hardship. God willing, you can always
count on our unwavering support.
The State of Qatar has consistently supported our
sisterly Lebanon in recent years, whether through humanitarian aid, support for
community initiatives, or assistance to the Lebanese Army. This support will
continue. We have reaffirmed with His Excellency the President, Qatar’s commitment
to sustaining its support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, the military
institution that unites all Lebanese.
We also emphasize the importance of upholding the
agreement regarding the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from southern
Lebanon and ensuring the full implementation of related resolutions.
Furthermore, we urge all parties to adhere to Resolution 1701, with the
ultimate goal of Lebanon regaining full sovereignty over all its territories.
The State of Qatar reaffirms its continued support
for the Lebanese people. Once the government is formed, we look forward to
collaborating with the Lebanese government to support state institutions and
work on joint projects between our two countries.
Thank you.
In response to the First question, HE said:
The State of Qatar has always been present, and
we are committed, by all means, to fulfilling our duty towards the brotherly
Lebanese people, Lebanon, and our brothers across the region.
Regarding our support for the implementation of
the resolution and the Israeli withdrawal agreement, as well as rejecting
Israeli violations and attacks on Lebanon's sovereignty, this is absolutely
unacceptable. We consistently raise this issue in all our international
discussions and in our contacts with the Israeli side. The State of Qatar will
continue to play this role.
On another level, in terms of economic and
reconstruction support, there is no doubt that the State of Qatar will remain
present, as it has been on every occasion and during every event. We look
forward to the completion of the government formation, after which these files
will be discussed. We are hopeful of establishing a strategic partnership that will
serve the interests of both our countries and people.
In response to the Second question, HE said:
The issue of stability in the Middle East is,
first and foremost, tied to resolving the root causes of the conflicts. We are
all aware that the core issue in the region is Israel’s occupation of
Palestinian territories. The rejection of efforts to establish peace, including
the two-state solution and the creation of an independent Palestinian state,
will not lead to stability. Unfortunately, this situation allows extremists to
exploit the chaos and take advantage of the reckless actions of the Israeli
occupation to further their own agendas. The State of Qatar, without a doubt,
completely rejects this.
Since the beginning of this year, there have been
positive indicators, whether it is the filling of the presidential vacancy in
Lebanon or the changes taking place in Syria. We wish all the best for these
developments. Just as wars have had a successive impact on the region, we hope
that peace will also have a similar, cascading effect, and we look forward to
that with optimism.
Today, we are, of course, facing a difficult
situation alongside our Palestinian brothers, both in the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip, following the success of the ceasefire agreement. We are committed to
continuing this agreement until it reaches its final phase, ensuring the
complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. We also aim to put an end to the
actions and violations that our brothers in the West Bank are enduring.
Regarding the issue of the partnership between
the State of Qatar and Lebanon, we are awaiting, the formation of the
government. Once that is complete, the State of Qatar will assess the sectors
where Lebanon needs support. We will then work together to build a partnership,
as I mentioned earlier, based on mutual benefit.
Thank you very muc