Lebanon's Information Minister Paul Morcos said on Wednesday that he hoped a new round of Lebanon-Israel negotiations mediated by the United States, currently underway in Washington, would result in a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the release of prisoners.
This new round of Lebanon-Israel talks is expected to run for three days starting Tuesday, with officials from both sides in Washington for the week, U.S. media reported.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Morcos said the direct talks with Israel represent a rare display of autonomy and independence for Lebanon.
"This is a track that reflects the autonomy and the independence of the state. This is maybe, not to say the first time, maybe amongst the rare occasions where the state is holding the decision by itself,” he said.
Morcos also detailed what the Lebanese government aims to achieve through the talks.
"First thing is to maintain the ceasefire and then to have an Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territories, the release of prisoners, and the settlement of disputed areas of conflict," he said.
According to the minister, if a ceasefire can be agreed and is observed, reconstruction will be the government's top priority for maintaining stability and speeding up recovery.
"The main thing after withdrawal, you mean, is reconstruction. For us, the rights of those displaced come first and this should be done with assistance of the Lebanese state, but also with the assistance of the international community, because this is not the liability of Lebanon. This war wasn't the war that Lebanon has chosen, and the international community is keen, I think, to help in this issue. This cannot happen without having a permanent ceasefire and stopping the Israeli attacks,” Morcos said.
Hope that Lebanon-Israel talks will secure Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon: Lebanese official
