President of the National Dialogue Party, MP Fouad Makhzoumi, held a series of meetings with senior officials in Washington, accompanied by Political Adviser Dr. Carol Zouein. He began his visit to the United States by meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf and Director of the Office of Near Eastern Affairs Steve Butler.
Makhzoumi said the discussions addressed the general situation in Lebanon, and he thanked the United States for the attention it has devoted to the country. He described the meetings as highly productive and reiterated his appreciation for the joint U.S.-French-Saudi statement, which he said had established a roadmap and offered a path toward rescuing Lebanon. He stressed that the presidential election was a pivotal milestone and affirmed that pressure would be intensified to ensure it took place within the constitutional deadline, expressing hope that the international community would regain confidence in Lebanon.
Makhzoumi also reiterated that he and his colleagues in the new Parliament, both within the Tajaddod Bloc and among all MPs seeking change, would spare no effort to implement the reforms required by the International Monetary Fund, which are essential to overcoming the crisis. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive reform and recovery plan that would gradually alleviate the suffering of the Lebanese people and address the crises they face.
Regarding maritime border demarcation, Makhzoumi described the issue as vital to Lebanon. While thanking Washington for its role in overcoming obstacles to the demarcation process, he stressed the need to bring the matter to a conclusion as soon as possible. He noted that oil and gas resources represented the only remaining economic resource available to the Lebanese people and that extracting them could help rescue the country from its crises.
It is worth noting that, during his visit to the United States, Makhzoumi also met with former U.S. Under Secretary of State David Hale, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa Farid Belhaj, International Monetary Fund Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department Jihad Azour, and a number of media representatives.

