Aoun meets Haykal, defends army against 'campaigns of doubt and slander'

President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday praised the role of the Lebanese Army and its leadership, officers and soldiers in "extending state authority, maintaining security and stability in the country, controlling the borders, and protecting civil peace," the Presidency said.

Aoun voiced his remarks in a Baabda meeting with Army chief General Rodolphe Haykal, in which he emphasized that "the campaigns of doubt and slander to which the military institution and its leadership are subjected from time to time will not affect its national performance, which is committed to the decisions of the political authority, or the confidence of the Lebanese people in it."

Haykal for his part briefed the president on the results of his talks during his visits to Turkey, Greece and the United Kingdom within the framework of military cooperation with these countries.

Aoun and Haykal also discussed the security situation in the country and the anticipated missions of the army in the coming phase, in light of the results of the Lebanese-American-Israeli negotiations and the resulting "framework agreement."