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LONDON: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Tuesday that his government was pressing ahead with \u201cimportant and decisive\u201d measures to place all weapons under state control.<\/p>\n
Speaking to members of Lebanon\u2019s expatriate community at the Lebanese Consulate General in New York City, Salam said a state monopoly on arms was essential to Lebanon\u2019s sovereignty, stability and economic recovery.<\/p>\n
He added that the government\u2019s objective was for the state alone to exercise authority throughout the country and to control decisions on war and peace, Lebanese state media reported.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have taken important and decisive decisions, and we are pressing ahead with their implementation regardless of the difficulties,\u201d Salam said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is clear: for the state alone to hold authority over its entire territory; for the decision on war and peace to rest solely with the state; and for the army and legitimate forces alone to be responsible for the security of the Lebanese people.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere can be no state with two armies, nor a state with two decision-making authorities,\u201d Salam said, describing the state\u2019s exclusive control of weapons as a prerequisite for restoring confidence among Lebanese people at home and abroad.<\/p>\n
He added that the government was pursuing that policy alongside efforts to secure an Israeli withdrawal, facilitate residents\u2019 return to southern Lebanon and begin recovery and reconstruction work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no economy without stability, and no investment without a state,\u201d Salam said.<\/p>\n
The Lebanese PM made the remarks while attending the 81st UN General Assembly in New York City, where he held meetings with several regional and international officials, including UN chief Antonio Guterres, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani and US Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.<\/p>\n
In his meeting with Erdogan, Salam discussed developments in Lebanon and the broader region, as well as efforts to ease tensions and promote regional security and stability, according to Lebanon\u2019s state-run National News Agency.<\/p>\n
The two leaders also discussed Turkiye\u2019s possible support for southern Lebanon\u2019s recovery, including prefabricated housing intended to help residents return to their towns and villages.<\/p>\n
In separate talks with Iraq\u2019s Al-Zaidi, Salam discussed bilateral relations, regional developments and follow-up on outcomes of his July visit to Baghdad. The discussions covered prospective joint initiatives in energy, transportation and regional connectivity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n