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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that a comprehensive ceasefire is necessary to move forward with negotiations involving Lebanon, the U.S. and Israel.
Aoun made the remarks during a phone call with Rubio, according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency.
The U.S. State Department later announced that negotiations would resume in Washington from June 23 to 25.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the talks would provide an opportunity to “make progress toward a lasting peace.”
The Lebanese presidency said Aoun thanked Rubio for the United States’ support for Lebanon.
Aoun stressed “the need for Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory to cease through the achievement of a comprehensive ceasefire,” according to the statement.
Lebanon considers such a ceasefire a fundamental basis for advancing the Lebanese-U.S.-Israeli negotiations scheduled to take place in Washington next week, the presidency said.
Aoun also thanked Rubio for U.S. support before the resumption of the talks.
According to the Lebanese presidency, Rubio emphasized the importance of Lebanon continuing its efforts to disarm Hezbollah, which is fighting Israel in southern Lebanon.
Pigott said the upcoming negotiations would involve “the two sovereign governments” and aim to make progress toward lasting peace.
“Secretary Rubio reiterated the need to disarm Hezbollah and to re-establish control over all Lebanese territory,” Pigott said.
The talks are scheduled to be held in Washington from June 23 to 25.
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, said in a social media post that Israel was committed to an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.
He said the commitment depended on Hezbollah honoring the agreement and ending hostilities.
Israel would back an immediate ceasefire only “if Hezbollah honours the agreement and ceases its hostilities,” Leiter said.
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