The United States confirmed on Monday that new talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place in Rome from August 4 to 6, as part of establishing "pilot zones" in cooperation with the Lebanese Army.
اضافة اعلان
A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "Technical delegations in Rome will focus on advancing the full implementation of the framework agreement," pointing out in this regard the expansion of the "pilot zones" initiative, the resolution of all outstanding border issues, and the drafting of a comprehensive peace and security agreement.
"The experience gained from the initial areas will help us refine the implementation of the pilot zones, allowing for their gradual expansion," the official added.
On Sunday, the Lebanese Army denounced ongoing Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, accusing Israel of hindering the completion of its deployment under the framework agreement signed by both countries last month.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had announced these talks a few days ago, telling parliament: "We will host another dialogue session (between Lebanon and Israel) on August 4," following a round of talks between delegations from both countries in Rome last week that "allowed for tangible progress in defining the initial pilot zones."
Under the framework agreement signed in June, after deploying in the "pilot zones," the Lebanese Army is expected to disarm Hezbollah within these areas and ban the military presence of any group outside of government forces, serving as a model for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from other regions.
Despite a decrease in the intensity of fighting, the Israeli army continues to carry out sporadic strikes in the south.
Al-Mamlaka + AFP
