Salam: I'm only asking Hezbollah to honor its commitments

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Wednesday that Lebanon went to the negotiations in Washington because it was "the least costly path for Lebanon."

"Will we reach an agreement? No one knows the outcome of any negotiation beforehand. But we know very well what we want from them, which is a complete Israeli withdrawal," Salam said.

"We will not accept that five points or two points remain (under occupation). We also demand the release of captives and the resolution of the outstanding border points. In return, we expect the Israeli side to propose security arrangements, and we will discuss what is acceptable and what is not. I am not pessimistic," the premier added.

Regarding the issue of the monopoly of arms and the implementation of the Taif Agreement, Salam said: "There is one indisputable point. The Taif Agreement addresses the Israeli withdrawal, reforms, and the extension of state authority. We are 36 years behind in extending state authority and implementing a number of reforms since the Taif Agreement was adopted."

He continued: "I am only asking Hezbollah to honor its commitments. Through the 2006 government of which it was a part, it committed to implementing Resolution 1701, which stipulates the need to fully extend state authority over all its territory, implement the Taif Agreement, and, most importantly, make the area south of the Litani River a weapons-free zone."

"It reaffirmed this commitment in 2024, during the tenure of the government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, through the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement," Salam went on to say

He added: "We are not restricting arms to appease Israel. This is an independent Lebanese matter, agreed upon by all parties, and we have been long overdue in implementing it, ever since the Taif Agreement was adopted."