On the eve of the negotiating session scheduled for tomorrow in Rome, Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani held telephone talks today with the heads of the Lebanese and Israeli delegations, Yechiel Leiter and Simon Karam. This new round of talks follows on from the one held in the capital on 14 and 15 July and forms part of the negotiation process facilitated by the United States, which began following the signing of the Framework Agreement on 26 June.
During the telephone calls, the Minister expressed his appreciation for the initial results achieved in the ‘pilot areas’ following the July talks and encouraged the parties to continue in a constructive spirit, identifying mutually agreed solutions that would enable the Framework Agreement to be fully implemented. He also welcomed the redeployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces to the areas of Froun-Srifa and Western Zawtar, describing it as a concrete sign of the progress made.
Whilst reiterating the importance of consolidating the ceasefire between the parties and continuing the negotiation process, the Minister confirmed Italy’s support for the Lebanese State and its commitment to working, in close coordination with European and international partners, to prevent security vacuums following the conclusion of the UNIFIL mission and to strengthen the capabilities of the Lebanese State.
Finally, Tajani emphasised that the success of the negotiations is in the interests not only of Lebanon and Israel, but also of peace and stability across the entire region, calling on the parties to seize this opportunity and to continue the dialogue in a spirit of responsibility and compromise.
