The President of the Lebanese Republic, General Joseph Aoun, welcomed the announcement issued by French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which calls for seeking to form an international coalition around the mechanism after the end of the missions of UNIFIL forces operating in southern Lebanon. President Aoun considered that this initiative constitutes a sincere expression of the international commitment to support Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability, and a true appreciation for the role played by the Lebanese Armed Forces in maintaining security and extending state authority over its entire territory, especially in the southern border areas. He expressed his appreciation for the joint French-Italian emphasis on the need to avoid any dangerous security vacuum in the post-UNIFIL phase, noting that this approach is consistent with the firm Lebanese vision, which considers the Lebanese army the basic and true guarantee of the security of the south and the preservation of national sovereignty. The President of the Republic affirmed that Lebanon is looking forward to any international formula that would enhance the capabilities of its armed forces, protect its territorial integrity, and prevent it from turning into an arena for escalation or regional tensions, reiterating Lebanon’s openness to cooperation with international partners in a way that serves the interest of the Lebanese people and enhances stability in the region.