Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Ambassador Hossam Zaki met senior Lebanese officials on Thursday, voicing support for the government’s decision to disarm non-state actors and stressing the need for international pressure on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory.

During talks at Baabda Palace, President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed to Zaki Lebanon’s commitment to implementing the decision to restrict all weapons to the State, saying it was in the interest of all Lebanese. He also underlined the necessity of Israel fulfilling its obligations to create the conditions for the state to extend full sovereignty over all its borders.

For his part, Zaki called on the international community to press Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese land and to refrain from any actions that undermine Lebanese sovereignty. He said the Arab League supports the principle of exclusive state authority over arms and respects the framework Lebanese officials are pursuing to implement it.

“I do not see a summit dedicated to Lebanon being held anytime soon,” Zaki added, while expressing hope that “there will be a vision in favor of the country to restore stability and civil peace.”

“No one wants Lebanon to slide into undesirable consequences,” he continued. “We hope wisdom will prevail in addressing these issues.”

The Arab League envoy also stressed that Israel must abide by its commitments under the U.S. paper, reiterating his call for pressure to ensure Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

Zaki then headed to Ain al-Tineh for a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Zaki also met with Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji.

The envoy said his visit was intended to reaffirm “the strong interest the Arab League Secretariat gives to Lebanon’s situation and to maintaining stability, as well as to highlight Arab support for the Lebanese State and for the government’s decisions to assert control over all its territory and monopolize arms.”

For his part, Minister Rajji expressed Lebanon’s “deep appreciation for Arab support and for the backing of the Arab League.” He stressed that the government was working “with wisdom and prudence to address the issue of exclusive State control over weapons,” and was exerting all efforts to rebuild state institutions and achieve security and political stability as a prerequisite for economic recovery.

The talks also addressed the renewal of the UNIFIL mandate, with both sides underscoring the importance of maintaining the United Nations’ presence in southern Lebanon.