Beirut: President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, on Monday told a delegation from the Lebanese private sector network that "negotiation is safer than war, as we have seen and continue to see the devastation of war and its consequences. However, negotiations will not resolve the problem overnight; rather, it is a process that requires time, and we have no other choice."
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, President Aoun said, "Unfortunately, some view negotiation as surrender, but it is not. Nor is it a concession. Rather, it is a means of ending wars with the least possible damage."
Aoun stressed, "we will not retreat from our choice, and all of us in Lebanon, as officials, are doing everything possible. Negotiations may encounter obstacles or may be delayed in reaching the goal we seek, but they are moving forward. All issues are resolved through negotiation, no matter how long it takes. And war will not yield results for any of its parties."