Lebanese President Joseph Aoun clarified his nation's diplomatic stance on Monday, indicating that a high-level summit with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently out of the question, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Aoun emphasized that the cessation of hostilities must be the primary focus before any direct political engagement can be considered.
The Lebanese Presidency released a formal statement in which Aoun explained that the prevailing conditions do not support a bilateral meeting.
"The timing is not suitable now to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We must first reach a security agreement and stop the Israeli attacks against us before raising the issue of a meeting," he said, according to the statement.
President Aoun has been engaged in a flurry of international activity, meeting with representatives from the United States, Europe, and several Arab nations in an attempt to bring an end to the conflict with Israel.
According to the President, these contacts have been essential in clarifying the official position of the Lebanese government. He noted that his recent diplomatic outreach has been successful in bridging gaps and removing various misunderstandings held by foreign powers regarding Lebanon's response to the current crisis.
A ceasefire between the two nations officially began at midnight on April 17 and was subsequently extended for three weeks by US President Donald Trump.
President Aoun, who has been pressured by Washington to meet Netanyahu for direct talks, maintains that the path forward must be rooted in security stability. He reiterated that the implementation of a firm security agreement and a total halt to military operations are absolute prerequisites for any future political dialogue at the leadership level.