President Joseph Aoun met Thursday at Baabda Palace with Anne-Claire Legendre, political adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, for talks centered on Lebanon’s southern border tensions, the Lebanese Army’s role in maintaining stability, and France’s ongoing support for Beirut amid growing regional uncertainty.

Aoun told the French envoy that the army’s full deployment along Lebanon’s southern border remains hindered by “Israel’s ongoing acts of aggression and its failure to abide by the November 2024 agreement.”

He said the Lebanese Army “continues to operate with precision, contrary to Israeli claims,” adding that it “enjoys the backing of all Lebanese and the trust of southerners.”

The president highlighted the army’s urgent need for equipment and vehicles, which are expected to be addressed through the upcoming Conference in Support of the Lebanese Army and Armed Forces. He described reconstruction as “the cornerstone for enabling southerners to return and remain resilient,” but warned that rebuilding efforts cannot advance “under the shadow of daily Israeli strikes on civilians and public infrastructure.”

“The negotiation option I announced is the only one capable of restoring stability to the South and to Lebanon as a whole,” Aoun said, adding that “continued aggression will lead nowhere.”

The president also said the government, in coordination with Parliament, has begun passing reform legislation and drafting additional laws that reflect Lebanon’s economic realities while aligning with international standards.

He welcomed “any European participation in preserving stability after UNIFIL’s withdrawal,” noting that the army’s strength will rise to 10,000 troops by the end of the year.

For her part, Legendre reaffirmed France’s commitment to work toward consolidating stability in southern Lebanon and activating the Mechanism in line with Lebanon’s aspirations.

During her visit, the French envoy also met Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, with discussions focusing on political and security developments in Lebanon and the region, as well as bilateral relations between Beirut and Paris.