Joseph Aoun says Lebanon could pursue security deal with Israel

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has said Lebanon is ready to conclude a security agreement with Israel after Israeli troops withdraw, adding that such a step could eventually pave the way for a peace agreement.

According to Report, citing The Times of Israel, Aoun made the remarks in an interview with AFP.

"First of all, the state of hostilities must be ended and the deployment of the army along the border must be ensured. This could be the beginning of a subsequent peace agreement, but we cannot move directly to that stage," he said.

The Lebanese President said the sides had no alternative to negotiations.

"We have no choice but negotiations, because the alternative is a war that would cost us dearly," Aoun said.

He also said that after the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon expires at the end of the year, a new international presence - European or otherwise - would be needed to prevent a security vacuum in the country.

Aoun called on the United States, the European Union and Arab countries to support the Lebanese army.