Washington, July 28 (IANS) The next round of US-led talks between Israel and Lebanon will be held in Rome from August 4 to 6, with technical teams seeking to advance a framework for an eventual peace and security agreement, the State Department said.The discussions will focus on expanding a pilot zone in southern Lebanon, settling outstanding border disputes and moving towards full implementation of the framework agreement signed by the two countries last month.“We are entering these discussio…
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Beirut, July 24 (IANS) Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Friday called for the creation of an international force to assist the Lebanese army in the country’s south if the UN peacekeeping mission cannot remain in the country.”Lebanon considers the continued presence of the international forces in the south to be the best option for the next phase. If that proves impossible because of procedures required at the UN Security Council, an alternative international force should be established to repla…
Beirut, July 23 (IANS) A delegation of Lebanese lawmakers on Thursday delivered a letter signed by 86 parliament members to UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jean Arnault, urging the renewal and continued presence of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported.The letter was handed to Arnault in Beirut as part of a parliamentary initiative supporting UNIFIL’s mission.According to the NNA, the lawmakers said the broad cross-party s…
Beirut, July 22 (IANS) Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has said the recent US-Lebanese presidential meeting should be judged by “results on the ground” rather than its optics, noting that a lasting ceasefire and Israeli withdrawals have yet to materialise. “The important thing now is the results on the ground, not merely the way the summit appeared,” Berri told Lebanese Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper in remarks published Wednesday.He called Israel’s recent withdrawal from the southern town of…
Washington, July 21 (IANS) President Donald Trump’s senior adviser for Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, Massad Boulos, said on Tuesday that the US-backed agreement between Lebanon and Israel had entered the implementation phase, describing it as a historic breakthrough that would unfold gradually under close coordination among the United States, Lebanon and Israel. Washington, July 21 (IANS) President Donald Trump’s senior adviser for Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, Massad Boulos, said on Tuesd…
Washington, July 21 (IANS) US President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun presented a united front at the White House on Tuesday, pledging to advance a US-backed framework aimed at ending decades of hostility between Lebanon and Israel while strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces and reducing the influence of Hezbollah.Calling Lebanon “a very mistreated country for a long period of time,” Trump said the United States intended to play a central role in its recovery.”We’re going to …
Washington, July 21 (IANS) President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iran was seeking talks with the United States even as Washington continued its military pressure campaign, warning that the US would strike any Iranian site linked to rebuilding its nuclear programme.Interacting with reporters at the White House after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Trump dismissed suggestions that Tehran remained unwilling to negotiate.”They want to desperately meet,” Trump said. “Until they’re ready…
Washington, July 21 (IANS) President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Lebanon could eventually become part of the Abraham Accords, signalling his administration’s ambition to expand the US-backed normalisation agreements despite decades of hostility between Lebanon and Israel. Responding to a question about Lebanon’s laws prohibiting contact with Israel, Trump said he intended to raise the issue with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.”I will,” Trump said.”The Abraham Accords have been, I think, a …
Washington, July 21 (IANS) President Donald Trump on Tuesday pledged continued US support for Lebanon, saying Washington would help the country emerge from decades of conflict while backing efforts to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces and implement a new US-brokered framework aimed at ending hostilities with Israel. Hosting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House, Trump described Lebanon as “a very mistreated country for a long period of time” and said his administration was committ…
Tehran, July 19 (IANS) Iran has ceased the fulfillment of its obligations under the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States as Washington has violated its commitments under the deal, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said. In an interview with state-run IRIB TV, Gharibabadi said the United States has effectively violated or suspended “all its commitments” under the MoU, stressing that Iran is now focused on defending itse…