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Lebanon
The US State Department announced today that Washington will facilitate intensive two-day talks between the Israeli and Lebanese governments on May 14 and 15, focusing on a security forces separation agreement, Hezbollah disarmament, and border demarcation.
The US State Department announced today, Friday, that Washington will work to facilitate intensive talks over two days between the governments of Israel and Lebanon on May 14 and 15 of this month.
In the same context, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation revealed that the Israeli-Lebanese talks will discuss the possibility of reaching an agreement on separating security forces, the file of disarming Hezbollah, and demarcating the borders between the two countries.
According to the corporation, it is expected that joint working groups will be formed within these negotiations to discuss those issues.
The corporation also quoted Israeli sources as saying that Israeli army forces deployed in southern Lebanon will remain stationed several kilometers from the border line with Israel during the talks.
In contrast, the official Lebanese "National News Agency" reported that Prime Minister Nawaf Salam affirmed in statements today, "seeking to consolidate the ceasefire before the next round of negotiations with Israel."
Salam said: "If Israel's aggression continues, the first item in the negotiations will be consolidating the ceasefire."
He added: "We will propose stopping Israel's aggressions, releasing prisoners, and scheduling the withdrawal to allow the return of displaced persons and reconstruction. The horizon of negotiations according to our vision leads to ending the state of conflict between Lebanon and Israel," as he put it.
On Thursday, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation revealed that officers from the Israeli army may participate in the meeting that is likely to be held at the end of next week between representatives of Israel and Lebanon in Washington.
The corporation indicated that representatives of the Lebanese army will participate, "most likely," in those negotiations.
The corporation stated that "alongside Israeli, Lebanese, and American diplomats, professional officials will also attend the talks, discussing maps in an attempt to plan the next stages of extending the ceasefire."
