Saudi-American Joint Statement on Lebanon

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America issued a joint statement coinciding with President Joe Biden's visit to the Kingdom. The statement addressed the situation in Lebanon, where both parties expressed their "ongoing support for the sovereignty, security, and stability of Lebanon, and for the Lebanese Armed Forces that protect its borders and combat the threats posed by extremist and terrorist groups." They also highlighted "the importance of forming a Lebanese government and implementing comprehensive political and economic structural reforms to ensure that Lebanon overcomes its political and economic crisis, and does not become a launching pad for terrorists or drug trafficking or other criminal activities that threaten the security and stability of the region." They emphasized "the importance of the Lebanese government asserting control over all Lebanese territories, including the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions and the Taif Agreement, so that it can exercise its full sovereignty, with no weapons except by the approval of the Lebanese government, and no authority other than its own."