Leaders from Lebanon's Shiite group Hezbollah-led opposition camp have had different opinions over direct talks with Israel, according to local media reports Wednesday.
Hezbollah has clearly expressed refusal of direct talks with Israel, which disagrees with its Christian ally Michel Aoun who said Sunday that he supports the talks on condition that "Syria sit on the table" of negotiations, said the reports.
In an interview with Future TV on Tuesday night, Hezbollah MP Hussein Haj Hasan said that the Shiite group's stand proves that Aoun is "not a follower of Hezbollah as some claim."
Meanwhile, Pro-Hezbollah Shiite Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh was also reported to have accepted direct talks with Israel, but his office issued a statement which was published by As-Safir daily Tuesday, denying what was published earlier.
On Monday, press reports said that Salloukh told reporters he did not mind having direct talks with Israel, adding "if French President Nicola Sarkouzi guarantees to us that Israel withdraw from Shibaa farms, Kfar Shouba Hills and Lebanese sector of Ghajar village, then why not (negotiate with Israel)."
Sunni majority leader Saad Hariri, however seems to have a stand close to that of his opponent Hezbollah, refusing direct talks with Israel.
"Direct talks with Israel would not be in the national interest," Hariri told reporter Monday, stressing that this does not mean that they are against peace on condition that it is "a just one."
The discussions in Lebanon came as its neighbor Syria is reported to be carrying out indirect talks with Israel through Turkish mediation.
Lebanon has always repeated a solid and official stand that it will be the last Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article