President Joseph Aoun, addressing a delegation from the Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church headed by His Beatitude John X Yazigi:
- The trajectory of wars always differs from what either party expects. Wars can only end through negotiation and dialogue, whereas their continuation leads to further destruction, casualties, and bloodshed.
- The primary goal of negotiation is to achieve Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories, liberate prisoners, ensure the return of displaced persons, reconstruct the country, and deploy the army across all Lebanese territory. There is no disagreement in Lebanon regarding these objectives; rather, the difference lies in the method and manner of achieving them.
- When the South is wounded, the wound affects all of Lebanon, and the state is responsible for its citizens. However, the wars forced upon us have negatively impacted the path of restoring state institutions in the South and achieving many milestones, bearing in mind that a qualitative leap has been recorded in numerous areas—especially regarding economic, financial, administrative, and judicial reforms.
- Our primary objective is to rebuild trust between the people and the state, as well as between resident and expatriate Lebanese. Our unity is foundational; we have one homeland, one flag, and one identity. Lebanon, as Pope John Paul II said, is a message, rich in its diversity and pluralism, and we must capitalize on this advantage.
- Some individuals fuel sectarian and denominational strife for personal interests at the expense of their homeland, and there are those who cooperate with outsiders against their fellow Lebanese at home. This is our problem in Lebanon, whereas we should be strengthening our domestic solidarity with one another against external actors.
Patriarch Yazigi to President Aoun: - we are living in an extraordinary era that has required you, with wisdom and insight, to take the lead in making unconventional decisions in order to steer Lebanon safely through the minefields of international politics, as conflicts among regional and global axes continue to erupt.
- As Levantine Christians, we see in Lebanon, founded on the principle of parity, a symbol of our Christian presence in this Levant. We shall remain rooted in it, just as the cedars remain rooted in Lebanon, growing like the cedars beloved of God, while affirming the necessity of joining hands with our Muslim brothers and sisters in order to uplift this country.
As reported by the official page of the Presidency of the Lebanese Republic