Lebanon says no US 'warning' issued over Hezbollah disarmament

US special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack did not issue any "warnings" regarding Hezbollah’s disarmament, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Wednesday, adding that stability in his country relied on Israel halting its violations.

His comments come as Lebanon prepares a response to Barrack’s proposal on disarming Hezbollah. The US envoy is expected to return to Beirut next week to hear from Lebanese officials.

"Things are moving positively with President Aoun and Speaker Berri," Salam said at Lebanon's Economic and Social Council.

While stressing Lebanon's commitment to addressing the issue of non-state arms, Salam said Washington must also provide guarantees that Israel will cease its attacks and withdraw its remaining forces.

Under the November ceasefire deal that ended more than a year of fighting, Israel was expected to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon. However, it has retained a military presence in five strategic positions along the border.

The deal also calls for Hezbollah to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state, which in turn must strengthen its presence in the south and along Lebanon’s borders.

Hezbollah has laid out its own conditions, which include full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, the release of Lebanese detainees held in Israel, and the allocation of funds to begin reconstructing the war-damaged areas, many of them Shia-majority.

"Barrack presented his vision to us - it was not framed as a warning. We are currently preparing a set of ideas and responses to share with him," said Salam.

He added that stability could not be achieved while Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreement. Israel has said it will not pull back its troops until Hezbollah’s armed wing is fully dismantled.

"From this standpoint, we are intensifying political and diplomatic pressure to implement [UN Security Council] Resolution 1701, and we are providing everything necessary to ensure the dignified return of our people and to rebuild what the [Israeli] aggression has destroyed," Salam said.

He reiterated that, while demanding Israel halt its violations, the Lebanese government is also continuing efforts to extend full state sovereignty and ensure it alone holds weapons within Lebanon.

UN Security Council Resolution 1701, passed in 2006, forms the legal basis of last year’s ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Barrack's demands are rooted in this framework, but the US envoy also urged Lebanon to engage in talks with Syria to formally demarcate their border and to implement sweeping financial reforms.

Lebanon has been mired in a devastating financial and economic crisis for nearly six years, which has crippled key sectors including banking, energy, and public services, and wiped out the savings of millions.

"Financial and economic reforms constitute a fundamental pillar of the national recovery process. There can be no sustainable public services, no real investment opportunities, and no possibility of recovery without financial and economic stability," said Salam.

The prime minister also confirmed ongoing cooperation with Damascus on securing the shared border, curbing smuggling, and facilitating the return of Syrian refugees - estimated to number around two million in Lebanon.

On Tuesday, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji said Beirut was coordinating with Syria to strengthen border security and officially demarcate the 394-kilometre frontier, which has long been used by smugglers.