Lebanon to participate in Rome talks with Israel next week

Lebanon will join US-mediated negotiations with Israel in Rome next week, a Lebanese official said, after conditioning its participation on an Israeli withdrawal from two areas.

• A US military delegation is in Lebanon to discuss mechanisms for an Israeli withdrawal from an experimental area in southern Lebanon.
• A Lebanese official confirmed the country's participation in the Rome talks, scheduled for July 15–16.
• A diplomatic source said Lebanon had conditioned its participation on Israel's withdrawal from two experimental areas in southern Lebanon.
• A US official stated the Rome meetings will be closed and mark the transition from political understandings to field implementation.