'Buffer' and 'economic' zones are 'mere talks', Aoun tells south delegation

President Joseph Aoun said Friday that the reconstruction of war-hit regions in south Lebanon is a priority, as he met a delegation from the southern border villages.

Aoun told the delegation that "the reconstruction of the destroyed and damaged villages is at the forefront of our priorities, in order to facilitate the return of the (displaced) residents."

He added that all the reports about "buffer zones" or "economic zones" are "mere talks" that no one has officially discussed with Lebanon.

Aoun also met with the family of retired security officer Ahmad Shukr, whose brother Hassan is suspected of involvement in the 1986 capture of Israeli air force navigator Ron Arad. Hassan was killed in 1988, while Shukr disappeared last month in the Bekaa region of eastern Lebanon. Lebanese authorities believe that Israel's Mossad spy agency was behind his disappearance.

Aoun told Shukr's family that he is working on returning the prisoners and that the issue is being discussed in the Mechanism's meetings.