Lebanon's Foreign Minister: State Alone Decides on Talks, Not a Pawn in Regional Games

Beirut – Lebanon's Foreign Minister, Youssef Raggi, has unequivocally asserted that the decision to engage in any negotiations, including potential talks with Israel, rests solely with the Lebanese state. In a candid interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Raggi stressed Lebanon's commitment to reclaiming its "natural right to determine its own fate independently of others' calculations," firmly stating that Lebanon "is not subordinate to anyone and is not a card in the hands of any axis."

“

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Only the State Decides on Talks with Israel

Minister Raggi voiced regret over internal obstacles, specifically pointing to Hezbollah's actions, which he claims gamble with the fate of Lebanese villages and residents for agendas unrelated to national interests. He underscored that the "national priority today is to fully restore sovereignty, without diminution." The minister did not shy away from the controversial possibility of negotiating with Israel, suggesting, "there is no shame in the Lebanese state negotiating with Israel if the goal is to end the war and recover territory."

“

Lebanon “has started to gradually reclaim its natural right to determine its own fate independently of others’ calculations,” stressing that the Lebanese state “alone holds the decision to negotiate,” and that Lebanon “is not subordinate to anyone and is not a card in the hands of any axis.”

This assertion marks a significant shift, aiming to decouple Lebanon's foreign policy from external influences, particularly Iran's. Raggi noted that "Iran dragged Lebanon into a war that was neither the choice of the Lebanese state nor of the majority of the Lebanese, but was imposed on it." He highlighted President Joseph Aoun's initiative for direct negotiations as a move to reassert independent national decision-making, establishing the state as the sole reference point for war, peace, and foreign policy.

“

He expressed regret that the state’s efforts to secure financial and political support for reconstruction “are being confronted by an internal party, Hezbollah, which continues to gamble with the fate of these villages and their residents in service of goals and agendas unrelated to the national interest or to the suffering of the people of the south.”

The Lebanese track, Raggi emphasized, is now distinct from the Iranian track, ensuring that Lebanon's interests are no longer held hostage by the progress or deadlock of Iranian negotiations. This strategic realignment aims to secure Lebanon's future on its own terms, free from the entanglements of regional conflicts and power struggles. The second preparatory meeting for these potential negotiations is currently underway.

“

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Raggi said that “the national priority today is to fully restore sovereignty, without diminution,” adding that “there is no shame in the Lebanese state negotiating with Israel if the goal is to end the war and recover territory.”