Aoun says security deal with Israel must come before Netanyahu meeting

President Joseph Aoun said on Monday that a security deal and an end to Israeli attacks were needed before any meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sought by Washington.

Aoun's office said in a statement that the president "reiterated his view that the timing is not appropriate now for a meeting" with Netanyahu, and quoted Aoun as saying: "We must first reach a security agreement and stop the Israeli attacks on us before we raise the issue of a meeting between us."

The president added that preparatory talks are expected the Lebanese Nd Israeli ambassadors to Washington in the coming days, stressing that "there is no turning back from the path of negotiations."