Istanbul / Anadolu

The Lebanese presidency announced on Tuesday that President Joseph Aoun and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump agreed to continue coordination to implement what was agreed upon and to follow up on joint initiatives in the security, defense, and economic fields.

This came in a statement issued by the Media Office of the Presidency, following bilateral talks held by Aoun and Trump at the White House during a working visit by the Lebanese president to the United States at the official invitation of his U.S. counterpart.

The statement said that the meeting affirmed the historic partnership between Lebanon and the United States, and focused on the security, political, and economic priorities necessary to enhance Lebanon's stability and prosperity.

It added that Aoun stressed during the talks the need for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, considering that a fundamental step to consolidate stability and enable the Lebanese state to exercise full sovereignty and move forward with implementing the framework agreement and its executive mechanisms.

According to the statement, Aoun reviewed the repercussions of the recent war on Lebanon, including the resulting human and economic losses and extensive damage to infrastructure.

The two sides also discussed ways to enhance U.S. support for the Lebanese army, develop bilateral cooperation in various fields, support the path of economic recovery and reconstruction, and encourage U.S. investments in Lebanon.

The statement added that Aoun also raised the importance of resuming direct air connectivity between Lebanon and the United States.

In this context, U.S. efforts continue to implement the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, signed on June 26, which stipulates the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the deployment of the Lebanese army.

The talks concluded with an agreement to continue coordination to implement the understandings reached and follow up on joint initiatives in the security, defense, and economic fields, which would enhance Lebanon's stability and open new horizons for cooperation between the two countries, according to the statement.

This follows a meeting between Aoun and Trump at the White House, during which the U.S. president announced he was directing his administration to allow U.S. airlines to operate direct flights to Lebanon, a step that paves the way for ending a ban on such flights in place since 1985.

The talks came as part of Aoun's first visit to the United States since his election as president, and the first by a Lebanese president to the White House in about 17 years.

Direct flights between the United States and Lebanon stopped in 1985, after the hijacking of a TWA aircraft and forcing it to land in Beirut amid security concerns during the Lebanese civil war.