Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (L) receives Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas in Baabda Palace, Lebanon, on May 21, 2025.(Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)
BEIRUT, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met here on Wednesday with his visiting Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas, discussing bilateral relations, regional developments, and international issues of mutual concern.
According to a statement issued following the talks, the two leaders highlighted the "brotherly" relationship between their two countries, stressing shared commitment to deepening cooperation on various levels.
Addressing the ongoing Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip, both sides condemned what they described as "the continued Israeli aggression" that has resulted in "unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe," urging the international community to take immediate action to halt the violence and ensure full protection for civilians.
The two leaders also denounced repeated Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty and called on international actors -- especially the United States and France -- to pressure Israel into implementing a ceasefire agreement reached under their mediation in November 2024.
The statement also announced the formation of a joint Lebanese-Palestinian committee tasked with monitoring living conditions in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.
They pledged to enhance coordination to maintain stability within and around the camps, jointly preventing them from becoming "safe havens for radical groups."
On top of that, both sides reaffirmed the principle of exclusive state control over arms in Lebanon and shared the belief that "the era of weapons out of state control in Lebanon" is over. ■
