Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib sent a message Monday to the international community and states conducting talks in Switzerland, demanding that Lebanon be directly involved in shaping the region's future. Bou Habib stressed that Lebanon must be a partner in any framework discussing the region's future and not have its fate decided in a dialogue in which it does not participate.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib issued a statement on Tuesday calling for Lebanon's direct involvement in international discussions shaping the region's future, according to reports. Bou Habib sent the message to the international community and to states participating in talks in Switzerland, demanding that Lebanon be a partner in any relevant framework rather than having its fate decided in a dialogue from which it is excluded.
The Lebanese government fears that international agreements may be imposed on it without its ability to influence the conditions and security guarantees that concern it, the reports said. The appeal comes amid ongoing regional diplomacy and reflects Beirut's insistence on a seat at the table as talks proceed on multiple tracks.
Bou Habib's statement follows a series of similar declarations from Lebanese officials in recent days, including Prime Minister Najib Salam's assertion that the war with Hezbollah 'is not Lebanon's war' and President Joseph Aoun's insistence that no settlement will be made at Lebanon's expense. The demand for direct participation underscores the tension between Lebanon's official institutions and the perception that external powers — including Iran and the United States — are negotiating arrangements that affect Lebanon without its consent.
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