BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun confirmed Monday during a meeting with a U.S. official that the process of implementing reforms is "underway" and primarily based on "Lebanon's interest" before responding to a "desire from the international community."

The head of state received Paul Grove, Republican Staff Director of the Senate Foreign Appropriations Subcommittee, assuring him that "the reform process has begun," referring to the changes on which financial aid, notably from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), are conditioned. The reforms, Aoun said, are "certainly in Lebanon's interest long before they are based on the desire of the international community," according to remarks reported by the presidency on its account X.

Among the reforms demanded by the IMF, the draft law on restructuring the banking sector was approved Saturday by the government and should be sent to Parliament early in the week, while the draft amendment to the banking secrecy law was approved on March 27 and also transmitted to the Chamber. The issue of loss distribution is expected to be addressed during the day in a series of meetings held by Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, notably with the Governor of the Bank of Lebanon, Karim Souhaid.

The Republican U.S. official emphasized that Washington "continues to provide aid to support Lebanon." While the U.S. is a major financial funder to Lebanon, supporting and supplying the Lebanese Army and part of the population through aid programs, the policy of the new U.S. administration regarding international financial aid could question this support.

Lebanon is part of a short list of U.S. aid beneficiaries, disbursed through the U.N.'s World Food Program, which so far have been exempt from U.S. budget cuts.

Paul Grove was received Sunday by the commander-in-chief of the Lebanese Army, General Rodolphe Haykal, to discuss U.S. support for the military institution.