A handout photo provided by the Lebanese Presidency shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) meeting with US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus at the Presidential Palace in Baabda. AFP
President Joseph Aoun and Ortagus discussed "south Lebanon, the work of the international monitoring committee and the Israeli withdrawal" from Lebanese territory, a statement from the presidency said, characterising the talks as constructive.
The United States chairs a committee, which also includes France, that is tasked with overseeing the ceasefire that ended more than a year of hostilities, including two months of all-out war Israeli on Lebanon, which saw Israel invade southern the country.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's office, in a statement, also said the discussions with the envoy were "positive."
Ortagus's second visit to Lebanon comes as Israel continues to carry out strikes in Lebanon despite a November 27 ceasefire, and as its troops continue to occupy several points in the country's south.
Israel was due to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by February 18 after missing a January deadline, but it has continued to occupy five areas in the south, in clear violation of the terms of the agreement.
Lebanon's army has been deploying in areas the Israeli military has withdrawn from.
Ortagus and Salam discussed the Lebanese army's role in enforcing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israeli war against Lebanon and served as the foundation for the November truce, according to his office.
The UN has condemned Israel's recent invasion and incomplete withdrawal, asserting that it breaches the terms of the resolution that ended the 2006 conflict.
The resolution says Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers should be the only forces in south Lebanon, and called for the disarmament of all non-state armed groups.
Economic issues
Salam's office said the talks also addressed the Syrian-Lebanese border, where deadly clashes erupted last month, emphasising the importance of preventing "any tensions or chaos, and all forms of smuggling", according to the premier's office.
Hezbollah has long exerted influence over large parts of the Lebanese-Syrian border, and Israel has repeatedly struck the area.
The Lebanese and Syrian defence ministers last month signed an agreement addressing security and military issues along the border, which has no official demarcation.
Aoun and Ortagus also discussed economic reforms and "combatting corruption", his office said, a day after Lebanon's new central bank governor Karim Souaid took office.
Souaid has pledged to advance key reforms demanded by international creditors to unlock bailout funds amid a years-long economic crisis.
Salam and Ortagus discussed "the need to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund", his office said.
Ortagus also met on Saturday with parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a key Hezbollah ally, discussing "Israeli violations and attacks on Lebanon" as well as economic and administrative reforms, his office said in a statement.
She also met with army chief Rodolphe Haykal.
On her first visit in February, Ortagus sparked anger among Hezbollah supporters by saying the group had been "defeated by Israel." While the resistance movement was significantly weakened in Israel's latest escalation against Lebanon, it continues to remain active.
Last month, Ortagus told Lebanese TV channel Al-Jadeed that the US and France had set up working groups that would address issues including the border disputes between the two countries and Israel's continued presence in south Lebanon.
"We want to get a political resolution, finally, to the border disputes," Ortagus had said.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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