Beirut, Sept. 16 (SANA)Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon wants a security agreement with Israel after an Israeli withdrawal from the south and remains determined to disarm Hezbollah without triggering an internal confrontation.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP), Aoun said a security agreement would primarily aim to end hostilities and allow the Lebanese Army to deploy along the border, adding that it could eventually pave the way for a peace agreement.

Aoun said negotiations were necessary because the alternative would be a costly war.

He reiterated Lebanon’s determination to place all weapons under state authority, including those held by Hezbollah, but said the process should be pursued peacefully and without risking a new internal conflict.

Aoun also called on the United States, European Union and Arab countries to support the Lebanese Army as it expands its deployment across the south and takes on greater responsibilities.

He was due in Paris on Wednesday for a meeting hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and attended by Jordan’s King Abdullah II aimed at mobilizing international support for the Lebanese military.

Aoun said Lebanon also wanted a temporary international force to prevent a security vacuum in the south after the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) expires at the end of the year.

He said the force could include European, Arab, U.S. or other international personnel and should remain in place until the Lebanese Army was able to deploy fully in the area.FJ/MF