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Lebanon's Culture Minister Ghassan Salame has said that the upcoming talks between Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors in Washington, DC, are intended as a "preliminary meeting" aimed at stopping Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory, according to Al Jazeera.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Salame on Tuesday highlighted that the upcoming engagement is a "preparatory meeting on ambassador level in order to produce a pause in military activity if not a ceasefire." He said meaningful negotiations would only be possible once hostilities subsided. He added that discussions on peace could only happen "with some kind of serenity" after a halt in bombardment by Israel. Salame noted that Lebanon had received "some kind of commitment that there should be a de-escalation" in the Beirut area, though he cautioned that "guarantees is probably too big a word". He acknowledged Lebanon's limited leverage in the talks, but said the government's objective was to "reassert the state authority". On the issue of disarming Hezbollah, Salame said the process "takes time" and cannot be achieved quickly, adding that it would not be resolved "in a matter of hours or days." Meanwhile, a US State Department official said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will participate in talks between Israel and Lebanon on Tuesday (local time) in Washington, DC. The negotiations, set to take place at the United States Department of State, will also include US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and State Department counsellor Michael Needham as part of the American delegation, according to CNN. The Israeli and Lebanese sides will be represented by their respective ambassadors, Yechiel Leiter and Nada Hamadeh, respectively. CNN said a US State Department official said the talks would focus on advancing dialogue aimed at ensuring long-term security along Israel's northern border, while also supporting Lebanon's efforts to reassert full sovereignty over its territory and political system. "This conversation will scope the ongoing dialogue about how to ensure the long-term security of Israel's northern border and to support the Government of Lebanon's determination to reclaim full sovereignty over its territory and political life," the official said. The official added that despite ongoing hostilities, the conflict is between Israel and Hezbollah, not Lebanon as a state, underscoring the rationale for continued diplomatic engagement between the two neighbouring countries. He added, "Israel is at war with Hezbollah, not Lebanon, so there is no reason the two neighbours should not be talking." (ANI)
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