The President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, presented with the Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, the political and security situation in Lebanon and the region, in addition to bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation between Lebanon and the Netherlands. Aoun stressed that the army is fully carrying out its duty in the typical areas where it has redeployed, considering that everything that is said otherwise aims to insult the army and cast doubt on its role and commitment to the decisions of the political authority. He pointed out that Israel continues to violate the framework agreement reached in the Lebanese-American-Israeli negotiations in Washington by continuing the bombing and destruction of the southern villages it occupies and bulldozing homes and property. Aoun reiterated Lebanon's adherence to UNIFIL remaining in the south, given the role it plays, stressing that Lebanon welcomes any brotherly or friendly country that wishes to complement what UNIFIL is doing, especially in providing support to the army and the southerners. Aoun stressed that the reconstruction of the south is the responsibility of the Lebanese state, pointing out that this cannot be done in light of the continued Israeli occupation. For his part, the Dutch Minister affirmed his country's solidarity with Lebanon and the Lebanese people in light of the difficult circumstances they are going through, noting that his visit to Nabatieh yesterday allowed him to see closely the extent of the suffering that the citizens are experiencing and the repercussions of the war on their lives and their regions.