Aoun heads to Cyprus, will hold 'intensive' talks with EU and UN officials

President Joseph Aoun and First Lady Nehmat Aoun left Beirut Wednesday for Cyprus to take part in a ceremony marking Nicosia’s assumption of the presidency of the EU for the next six months.

The Presidency said the ceremony will be an occasion for a number of meetings with heads of state and participating delegations.

The Nidaa al-Watan newspaper has reported that Aoun would “hold a series of intensive meetings with European leaders and U.N. officials focused on means to fend off a possible Israeli war on Lebanon and activate a serious negotiations course for implementing Resolution 1701 and the cessation of hostilities agreement, in an attempt to capitalize on the renewed European drive for the prevention of the Lebanese situation’s descent into an open confrontation.”