17 nations urge Israel, Lebanon to seize talks 'opportunity'
Foreign ministers from 17 countries, including the UK, Tuesday urged Israel and Lebanon to "seize this opportunity" in a statement ahead of U.S.-mediated talks between the two sides in Washington.
Britain's foreign ministry posted the ministers' joint statement saying "direct negotiations can pave the way to bring lasting security for Lebanon and Israel as well as the region.".l
The statement called "upon all parties to urgently deescalate and seize the opportunity offered by the ceasefire between the United States and Iran."
It was signed by ministers from Britain and Australia and European countries such as France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, but not Germany, Austria, Hungary or Italy.
Israel and Lebanon were set to hold the first direct talks in decades between the warring neighbors, mediated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Lebanon was pulled into the region-wide Iran war on March 2 after Hezbollah attacked Israel.
Since then Israeli strikes -- including an extremely heavy attack on Beirut on April 8 -- have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million.
The statement said that signatories "condemn in the strongest terms" both attacks by Hezbollah on Israel and "massive Israeli strikes on Lebanon."
The countries said they welcomed the initiative by President Joseph Aoun to open direct talks and were "ready to support" discussions.
Source: Agence France Presse
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