Talks between Israel and Lebanon ended early due to the escalating situation — CNN
Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, which were taking place in Rome with U.S. mediation, ended earlier than planned. The meeting was cut short due to the escalation of the situation on the ground.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson stated that the talks had to be suspended due to events unfolding directly in the region.
The Lebanese side noted that further hostilities could complicate or even halt the continuation of the negotiation process. The talks were aimed at reducing tensions between the two countries.
According to a source, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yehiel Leiter asked the American side to suspend the talks approximately three hours before they were scheduled to end. The reason cited was “repeated misleading leaks” from the Lebanese delegation. For its part, a Lebanese diplomatic source noted that it was the U.S. delegation that requested the suspension of the meeting in order to hold its own consultations.
Despite the premature interruption, the U.S. State Department described the discussions on political and military issues as “extremely productive.” In particular, technical working groups made progress in defining the details for implementing the Tripartite Framework Agreement signed in June.
Negotiations are expected to resume on Thursday morning. However, a Lebanese source warns that the situation on the front lines could hinder the continuation of the meetings. The negotiation process was suspended after the Israeli army ordered residents of the village of Mansouri to leave their homes and launched “precision strikes” against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in response to violations of the ceasefire.
CNN reports this.
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