Lebanese President Michel Aoun(R) shakes hands with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beirut, capital of Lebanon, Feb. 23, 2017. Abbas vowed on Thursday to exert all efforts to ensure all Palestinian refugees in Lebanon return to their homeland, the National News Agency (NNA) reported. (Xinhua/Dalati Nohra)
BEIRUT, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas vowed on Thursday to exert all efforts to ensure all Palestinian refugees in Lebanon return to their homeland, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.
Abbas, who arrived in Lebanon on Thursday for a three-day visit, made the remarks at a joint press conference with Lebanese President Michel Aoun.
By long-standing convention, the Lebanese army does not enter the twelve Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, leaving the Palestinian factions to handle security.
"We were from the beginning against terrorism. We have called from the start for holding constructive dialogues and preserving the unity of the Arab territories," Abbas said.
The Palestinian president also thanked Lebanon for hosting the Palestinians.
"Lebanon will remain a beacon of civilization, knowledge and steadfastness in the Arab countries," he said. "Palestinian refugees are guests in Lebanon."
"Israel insists on occupying our land and keeping our people in a big prison. This is what we will not accept. We will continue to work through political and diplomatic means to implement Security Council's resolutions," the president noted.
For his part, Aoun stressed the important role of the Palestinian factions in preserving stability in Palestinian refugee camps in his country.
"The most important challenge is the extent of our ability to impose a just and comprehensive solution to all the aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict according to international resolutions and the articles of Arab summit's resolutions," the Lebanese president said.
According to Aoun, unilateralism has collapsed, as no country can be built on a religion that rejects other religions and push people out of their land, identity and culture.
"The need has become more urgent to find political solutions to crises and ongoing bloodshed in some Arab countries," Aoun said.
"We agreed to coordinate positions and to cooperate to serve the interests of our two countries and issues of justice and peace that we have paid the price to achieve," he concluded.
