The Lebanese Council of Ministers on Monday approved the draft ministerial statement during a session held at the Presidential Palace, reaffirming the government’s commitment to liberating all occupied territories and upholding the state’s exclusive right to bear arms and exercise authority solely through its own forces.

The statement also underscores Lebanon’s full and non-selective adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as the arrangements agreed upon by the previous government concerning the ceasefire. It further highlights Lebanon’s neutrality in regional conflicts, border control with Syria, the return of displaced Syrians to their homeland, preventing the country from being used as a platform for attacks on other states, and ensuring full transparency in reconstruction efforts through a dedicated support fund.

Following the session, Minister of Information Paul Morcos said President Joseph Aoun had thanked the ministerial committee for drafting the statement and praised the speed of its preparation.

“The draft ministerial statement consists of approximately 80% of the Taif Agreement and 20% of the president's inaugural speech,” Morcos noted.

Morcos also conveyed Aoun’s commitment to protecting the right to peaceful protest while warning against roadblocks and acts of encroachment, stressing that maintaining security remains a “red line.”

The information minister highlighted overwhelming ministerial support for the statement, clarifying that while a reservation was expressed on a specific issue, it did not pertain to the ministerial statement itself or its key themes.

Moreover, Minister of Industry Joe Issa Al-Khoury said some ministers had hoped for a firmer stance regarding arms.

“We would have preferred for the government to include the phrase ‘the right of the Lebanese state to defend itself’ in its ministerial statement,” Al-Khoury said.

The approval of the ministerial statement comes at a critical time for Lebanon, as the government seeks to assert its sovereignty and restore stability amid ongoing economic and political challenges.