Lebanese Delegation Refuses to Take Photo with israelis at Border Demarcation Talks

Lebanese media reported that the Lebanese delegation refused to take a photo with the Israeli delegation at the first round of negotiations which were held under the auspices of the United Nations and the United States.

Wednesday’s talks, which lasted for around one hour, were held at a UN peacekeeping base in the Lebanese border town of Naqoura. A second round of talks is set for October 28, National News Agency reported.

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Lebanese Army for Operations Brigadier General Pilot Bassam Yassin, who heads the Lebanese delegation stressed that the negotiations must take place based on the international law.

The talks mark a “first step in the thousand-mile march towards the demarcation” of the maritime frontier, the head of the Lebanese delegation added.

“Based on the higher interests of our country, we are looking to achieve a pace of negotiations that would allow us to conclude this dossier within reasonable time.”

Yassin praised US efforts to “help establish a positive and constructive atmosphere” during the talks.

He also lauded the United Nations, saying he hopes it will exert “a fundamental and effective effort to organize the mechanism of talks and (secure) a smooth negotiation process.”