Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received a presidential welcome in Ankara on Thursday after arriving on a short-notice visit. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was scheduled to hold talks with Aoun and a joint news conference was scheduled following their meeting.
One day before his arrival, Aoun told Anadolu Agency (AA) that his country was counting on Türkiye for economic recovery and support for the framework agreement with Israel mediated by the U.S.
Türkiye and Lebanon maintain good relations, and Ankara has thrown its support behind Lebanon as Israel stepped up its attacks on the country.
This is Aoun's first official visit to Türkiye since taking office in January 2025. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited the country earlier in July and met with Erdoğan.
Aoun told AA that Lebanese-Turkish relations have "the potential to move to advanced levels of cooperation."
"Türkiye has a central position in the current regional scene, and coordination with it is a strategic necessity, not a temporary option," he said.
Lebanon and Israel signed the U.S.-sponsored framework agreement on June 26. The deal provides for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territory in return for the deployment of the Lebanese army there, along with the disarmament of armed groups, including Hezbollah.
"Türkiye's NATO membership and broad regional ties qualify it to play a supportive role in the international promotion of the framework formula and to encourage relevant parties to fully comply with its terms," Aoun said.
"Türkiye can contribute to the success of this track, especially since the framework that emerged from negotiation rounds in Washington and Rome requires broad regional and international follow-up to ensure its implementation on the ground," he added.
The Lebanese president stressed that Beirut is committed to implementing the framework agreement.
"But the success of this agreement depends on clear guarantees, foremost among them a full Israeli withdrawal that is simultaneous with the deployment of the Lebanese army, a permanent halt to violations and attacks in the south, and an effective international mechanism to verify both sides' compliance, so that Lebanese commitments do not become a unilateral step in the absence of a corresponding Israeli move," Aoun said.
"We call on Türkiye, given its regional weight and extensive relationships, to support this track politically and diplomatically in a way that strengthens its chances of success, prevents it from becoming an agreement with incomplete implementation, and contributes to Lebanon's efforts to secure an Israeli withdrawal and reinforce international efforts aimed at preventing any security vacuum in the south, in line with our commitment to preserving stability in this sensitive area," the president said.
Asked about Türkiye's possible role in supporting Lebanon's sovereignty and stability, Aoun said: "Ankara, as an active regional power, has real tools of influence and can contribute to supporting the Lebanese state and its legitimate institutions, foremost among them the army, in a way that strengthens the extension of state authority across all Lebanese territory."
"Türkiye can also use its relations to help secure the eastern and northern borders and prevent arms smuggling or infiltration that threatens Lebanon's security," he said.
"We are not asking Türkiye for a role that replaces the Lebanese state, but for a supportive and complementary role that aligns with our efforts to place arms solely in the hands of legitimate state authorities and stabilize the country after years of war," he added.
Aoun said Lebanon looks forward to strengthening cooperation with Türkiye in supporting state institutions, especially the army, while opening new avenues for cooperation on border security and combating the trafficking of illegal weapons.
On the economic front, Aoun said Lebanon is counting on Türkiye to contribute to the country's economic recovery through investment, trade and reconstruction.
"This could be done by encouraging Turkish companies to make direct investments in Lebanon's productive sectors, activating existing trade agreements, removing logistical obstacles to the exchange of goods in a way that eases the burden on Lebanon's struggling economy, and benefiting from Türkiye's extensive experience in reconstruction," he said.
