The president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun told the American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL) that the Lebanese security forces need to strengthen their capabilities and that the country should "develop a comprehensive strategy for national security," in a speech broadcast during an ATFL dinner in Washington.
"We have made remarkable progress and we are steadily moving towards building a state protected by law and overseen by the judiciary," Aoun said. "We must continue to work to strengthen the capabilities of the Lebanese security forces and develop a comprehensive and robust strategy for our national security, as we face major challenges that need to be addressed, such as the Syrian and Palestinian refugee crises. But I am confident that we are on the path to recovery."
Aoun thanked the ATFL for "supporting humanitarian aid, economic recovery, and the continued U.S. military assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces."
"We are firmly convinced that healthy relations with the United States are a fundamental pillar of our international position," he said.
