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Aoun meets Pope in Vatican
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met Pope Leo XIV in a private audience at the Vatican Apostolic Palace on Thursday morning, with the talks focused on Lebanon’s security situation in the south and the implementation of the Trilateral Framework Agreement.
“Pope Leo XIV met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday morning”
Aoun’s Vatican meetings came as Israeli attacks in Lebanon since March 2 have killed 4,348 people and wounded 12,307 while displacing more than 1 million people, according to Lebanese authorities cited by Anadolu Ajansı.
EWTN News reported that Aoun renewed his thanks to the pope for efforts supporting Lebanon in addressing concerns including ending the Israeli occupation and attacks, and he asked the Holy Father to continue urging Israel to implement the Trilateral Framework.
The Vatican’s concerns were also framed around implementation difficulties, with France 24 reporting that the Holy See expressed "serious concerns" about problems implementing the US-brokered deal after the Pope met Aoun.
Anadolu Ajansı said Aoun arrived in Italy on Wednesday to hold meetings with Pope Leo XIV, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with Pope Leo XIV scheduled to receive Aoun at 9.30 am local time Thursday.
Vatican worries, Lebanon presses
France 24 reported that the Vatican said it welcomed the signing of the document while expressing "serious concerns" about difficulties being encountered in implementing it, and it pledged support for efforts to that end.
EWTN News said Aoun asked the pope to support an immediate halt to attacks on villages, infrastructure, and civilians in southern Lebanon and to withdraw from areas it occupies.
In the same Vatican setting, France 24 said Aoun called on the head of the Catholic Church to "support Lebanon's efforts to achieve a full Israeli withdrawal" from occupied Lebanese territories.
Euronews similarly described Aoun’s request for continued backing for the "end of the occupation and of Israeli aggression" in Lebanese territory during a closed-door meeting at the Vatican.
Euronews also reported that after the meeting Aoun was received by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, as Israeli attacks continued in southern Lebanon despite the June ceasefire.
Pilot zones, UNIFIL, next talks
The National reported that talks between Israel and Lebanon appeared to have stalled, with no date set for a next round, as negotiations focused on the creation of “pilot zones” where Israeli forces would withdraw, the Lebanese army would assume control, and Hezbollah would disarm.
“"The United States is the only country"”
The National said Israel had only withdrawn from two pilot zones so far, and it reported that Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz told forces on August 12 that Israel would not withdraw from the “security zone” and would prepare for a “long-term presence”.
Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri tied the immediate deployment of the Lebanese army south of the Litani River to an end to Israel’s war, a ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal to the international border, saying "The United States is the only country" capable of compelling Israel to take those steps.
Anadolu Ajansı said the framework agreement signed between Beirut and Tel Aviv on June 26 calls for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese army there and the disarmament of armed groups referring to Hezbollah.
Asharq Al-Awsat added that Aoun’s visit to Rome had two objectives including meeting Pope Leo XIV and briefing him on the Framework Agreement and meeting Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss what will follow the end of UNIFIL’s mandate if the international force cannot be extended.
