The second day of US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon is underway at the US State Department, as both sides continue discussions for securing a long-term comprehensive peace and security arrangement, a State Department official said on Wednesday.
“Israel and Lebanon are negotiating as two sovereign states with the goal of finding long lasting peace and security.
Our shared goal is to end the cycle of violence for good,” the official said, adding that the talks are advancing efforts toward a comprehensive agreement between the two countries.
The latest round of working-level negotiations began on Tuesday and is scheduled to continue through Thursday, with discussions are expected to cover both political and military issues.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has distanced the ongoing talks from Washington’s parallel negotiations with Tehran, despite the latter’s repeated assertions that the two subjects are linked.
“It’s separate because Lebanon is a sovereign country,” Rubio said during a visit to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. “When it comes to Lebanon, and what’s happening inside of Lebanon, we’re going to negotiate and deal directly with the Lebanese government.”
Acknowledging Iran’s role in the Lebanon conflict, Rubio said, “There’s an Iranian issue with regards to Lebanon,” in reference to Tehran’s backing of Hezbollah.
Iran has repeatedly warned that continued Israeli military action in Lebanon could jeopardise its ongoing negotiations with Washington. Israel, however, maintains that its operations in the country are purely defensive in nature and only meant for containing the Islamist militia’s threat.
