US envoy says held 'very constructive' ceasefire talks in Beirut
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His stop in the Lebanese capital comes before a scheduled visit to Tel Aviv to continue the discussions.
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US envoy Amos Hochstein speaks during a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, October 21, 2024 (AP)
US special envoy Amos Hochstein said Tuesday that he held "constructive" discussions with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri during his visit to the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
"We've had just now very constructive talks with Speaker Berri, and we have continued to narrow the gaps through the discussions over the last few weeks," he said.
"I came back because we have a real opportunity to bring this conflict to an end," he told reporters after the two-hour meeting.
Hochstein stressed that "this is a moment of decision making. I'm here in Beirut to facilitate that decision, but it's ultimately the decision of the parties to reach a conclusion to this conflict."
"It is now within our grasp," he added during his second visit to Beirut in nearly two months of war.
The US envoy arrived at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport on Tuesday morning.
His visit comes as part of receiving Lebanon's response to the American proposal for a ceasefire agreement that would end the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, before a scheduled visit to Tel Aviv to continue the discussions.
On Monday, Axios' Global Affairs correspondent Barak Ravid cited American officials as saying that the US envoy delayed his departure to Beirut "until getting more clarifications about the Lebanese position regarding the cease-fire agreement."
Later, Ravid confirmed that Hochstein will leave Washington for Beirut shortly.
Lebanon’s position
In this context, political affairs writer Radwan Akil suggested Tuesday that "a psychological war was waged against Lebanon yesterday to hold it responsible for the failure to reach a ceasefire agreement."
Speaking to Al Mayadeen, Akil emphasized "the harmony between the battlefield Resistance [by Hezbollah] and the political resistance led by Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri."
Berri "will respond to US demands for guarantees for Israel by reaffirming Lebanon’s right to receive guarantees for its sovereignty," he indicated.
Akil added that Berri "will stress that Lebanon seeks guarantees to prevent Israel from violating its sovereignty or targeting any location it chooses."
"We are at a diplomatic and political crossroads led by Speaker Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati," he added.
He also stressed that "any committee formed should not have a mandate over UNIFIL but must play a fair and balanced role."
"Those involved in the ongoing negotiations, along with the field resistance, will not accept any concession that compromises Lebanon's sovereignty," Akil underlined, highlighting "a national consensus, including from the opposition, rejecting any Israeli violation of Lebanese sovereignty."
Hezbollah MP reveals three non-negotiables for a ceasefire in Lebanon
MP Ihab Hamadeh of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc told Al Mayadeen on Monday that a list of non-negotiables was affirmed during the talks, a ceasefire being at its forefront.
The second and third non-negotiables, according to Hamadeh, are the protection of Lebanese sovereignty and the prevention of the occupation to achieve in politics what it failed to achieve on the battlefield.
"We cannot surrender to anything that would compromise our country's sovereignty," he added, further noting that not everything reported about the Israeli-US proposal is true.
The MP further stated Lebanon's openness to reach a ceasefire agreement and to dialogue but asserted that "we will not beg for any agreement."
Read more: Ceasefire hinges on 'Israel' after Lebanon agreed to US proposal
