President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday that placing all weapons under the authority of the Lebanese State remains a national sovereign priority, and called on Turkey to help strengthen Lebanon’s border security and State institutions, including the military.

In an exclusive interview with Anadolu ahead of his first official visit to Turkey on Thursday, Aoun said Lebanon is looking to Ankara to play a supportive role in stabilizing the country, securing its borders, and contributing to its economic recovery and reconstruction.

Asked about Hezbollah’s rejection of any negotiating track with Israel, Aoun acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing Lebanon.

“This is a challenge we cannot underestimate,” he said. “Any negotiation or implementation process requires a minimum level of internal consensus if it is to succeed on the ground.”

He stressed that the presidency and the government are the only institutions constitutionally authorized to make decisions on sovereignty, security, and foreign relations.

“The Lebanese State, represented by the presidency and the government, is the only authority constitutionally empowered to make decisions on sovereignty, security, and foreign affairs,” Aoun said. “That is a principle we will continue to uphold.”

He argued that implementing the ceasefire understandings and resolving outstanding issues — particularly placing all weapons under State authority — requires a gradual process and sustained internal dialogue rather than confrontation.

“The implementation of the ceasefire understandings and the resolution of outstanding issues, especially ensuring that all weapons are under the authority of the State, must be approached gradually and through continuous internal dialogue,” he said. “Our goal is to convince everyone that Lebanon’s highest interest lies in a strong State with strong institutions, not in continued division over decisions of war and peace.”

Aoun also rejected reports suggesting that Syria could play a mediating role in placing weapons under Lebanese State control.

“The decision to place all weapons under the authority of the Lebanese State is a sovereign Lebanese decision,” he said. “There is no room for mediation or external interference, whether from Syria or any other country.”

He said Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa had repeatedly assured him that Damascus had no intention of intervening militarily in Lebanese affairs and supported the principle that weapons and decisions of war and peace should rest exclusively with the Lebanese State.

“The Syrian leadership has repeatedly made it clear that it has no intention of intervening militarily in Lebanon,” Aoun said. “Its position is that weapons and decisions of war and peace should be in the hands of the Lebanese State alone. We welcome that position because it is consistent with our vision of Lebanese sovereignty.”

The president said he had emphasized in meetings with Sharaa that coordination between Beirut and Damascus should remain at the political level and be based on mutual respect for sovereignty and noninterference in each other’s internal affairs.

Aoun said Turkey could make a meaningful contribution to strengthening Lebanese sovereignty and stability by supporting State institutions and helping secure the country’s eastern and northern borders against arms smuggling and infiltration.

“Turkey has real influence in the region and can help strengthen the Lebanese State and its legitimate institutions, especially the army, in a way that extends State authority across the entire country,” he said.

“Turkey can also use its regional relationships to help secure Lebanon’s eastern and northern borders and prevent arms smuggling and illegal infiltration that threaten our national security,” he added.

“We are not asking Turkey to replace the Lebanese State,” Aoun said. “We are asking for a supportive and complementary role that helps us place all weapons under legitimate State authority and stabilize the country after years of conflict.”

Support for the framework agreement

Aoun said Lebanon remains committed to implementing the U.S.-brokered framework agreement with Israel, but stressed that its success depends on reciprocal implementation by both sides.

“The agreement can succeed only if there are clear guarantees,” he said. “That means a full Israeli withdrawal carried out simultaneously with the deployment of the Lebanese Army, a permanent end to violations and attacks in the south, and an effective international mechanism to verify compliance by both sides. Lebanon cannot be expected to fulfill its commitments if Israel does not do the same.”

He called on Turkey to use its regional influence and NATO membership to support the agreement politically and diplomatically and to help ensure that it is fully implemented.

“Turkey occupies a central position in today’s regional landscape, and coordination with Ankara is a strategic necessity, not a temporary option,” he said.

“Turkey’s membership in NATO and its broad regional relationships position it to play an important role in supporting the framework agreement internationally and encouraging all parties to comply fully with its terms,” he added.

Aoun said the framework that emerged from negotiations in Washington and Rome requires sustained regional and international engagement to ensure that it is implemented on the ground.

“We call on Turkey to support this process politically and diplomatically in a way that strengthens its chances of success, prevents it from becoming an agreement that is only partially implemented, and helps Lebanon secure a full Israeli withdrawal while reinforcing international efforts to prevent any security vacuum in the south,” he said.

Army support and southern security

The Lebanese president said the army faces what he described as an existential challenge in extending State authority across the country.

“The Lebanese Army is facing an existential challenge in extending the authority of the State across all Lebanese territory,” he said. “It needs modern equipment, specialized training, and logistical support that will allow it to deploy effectively in sensitive areas, especially in the south, where its deployment is expected to coincide with a full and simultaneous Israeli withdrawal.”

Aoun said he would discuss with Turkish officials the possibility of expanding military assistance and training programs, while emphasizing that any Turkish support would complement, not replace, existing U.S. and international assistance.

Asked about proposals for a force that could replace the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Aoun said the issue remains under discussion.

“There are several proposals under consideration,” he said. “One envisions a European force led by France and Italy, another includes Turkish participation with NATO support, and others involve Arab and Islamic countries.”

“Our priority is to ensure that no security vacuum emerges if UNIFIL’s mandate comes to an end,” Aoun added. “Any proposal for an alternative force, including possible Turkish participation, will be judged by one standard: whether it helps the Lebanese Army extend State authority and preserve stability in the south.”

He noted that Turkey has already contributed to peacekeeping efforts through UNIFIL’s naval force, describing its coordination with the Lebanese Navy in monitoring maritime traffic as effective.

Economic recovery

On the economic front, Aoun said Lebanon is counting on Turkey to help revive its economy through investment, trade, and reconstruction.

“That can be achieved by encouraging Turkish companies to invest directly in Lebanon’s productive sectors, activating existing trade agreements, removing logistical barriers that hinder the exchange of goods, and drawing on Turkey’s extensive experience in reconstruction,” he said.

Aoun added that Lebanese-Turkish relations “have the potential to reach a much higher level of cooperation,” arguing that deeper coordination with Ankara has become a strategic necessity given Turkey’s expanding regional role.