NNA - President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, on Friday received at Baabda Palace, former President Michel Sleiman, with whom he held a tour d’horizon on current developments locally, regionally, and internationally.

President Sleiman said that he and the President of the Republic focused on "the necessity of keeping Lebanon away from what is happening between Iran and Israel, especially since Lebanon has already suffered greatly from the conflicts in the region."

President Sleiman stressed on "the unified Lebanese position at this critical stage and the necessity of focusing on the country's supreme interest and what serves Lebanon only."

Sleiman was also briefed on the outcome of the visit of the US President's envoy, Thomas Barrack. 

The discussion also addressed the social, economic, and daily living conditions ahead of summer season, with the hope that "the escalation will cease so that the tourist season would not be affected."

President Aoun also received at Baabda Palace, Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon, Ashraf Dabbour, who said after on emerging that "the Palestinian situation and the ongoing Israeli aggression against our people in the Palestinian territories were reviewed during the meeting."

Ambassador Dabour affirmed "the Palestinian people and their leadership's respect for Lebanon's sovereignty and the extension of its authority over all its territories, including the Palestinian camps, in accordance with the inaugural address and the joint presidential statement during the Lebanese-Palestinian summit, and their commitment to joint cooperation and full coordination with the Lebanese state."

President Aoun later received Miss Lebanon Nada Kousa in the presence of Tourism Minister Laura Khazen Lahoud. President Aoun congratulated Miss Lebanon Kousa on her success in the Miss World competition in India, qualifying for the top 20 contestants and ranking fifth in the Miss Asia and Oceania category.

============== L.Y