Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met in Beirut on Monday with Representatives Darine Lahoud and Steve Cohen, members of the US Congress.
During the meeting, Salam stressed the importance of respecting Lebanon's sovereignty and Israel's pullout from the Lebanese territories, which are still being occupied.
He noted that this withdrawal would pave the way for the Lebanese military to complete its deployment to the south, cease hostilities, and release the prisoners as part of a framework that aims to consolidate reconstruction and recovery.
A statement by the Lebanese government reported that the meeting underscored the imperative of extending the mission of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) at this current stage to back the Lebanese military's efforts in strengthening its deployment to the south.
For his part, Lahoud hailed the measures taken by the Lebanese government to consolidate state authority over the entire territories, along with the progress made in the areas of judicial and financial reforms.