Lebanese PM says 'still premature' to discuss any meeting with Netanyahu

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Wednesday that "it is still premature" to discuss any potential meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.



"Any high-level meeting with the Israeli side requires extensive preparations," Salam said, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.



Lebanon is not seeking "normalization with Israel, but rather peace," he said, adding that consolidating the ceasefire would form the basis for any new round of negotiations that may be held in Washington.



"The minimum of our demands is a timetable for Israel's withdrawal, and we will develop a plan to restrict weapons to the hands of the state," he added.



Following discussions in Washington on April 14, a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight between April 16 and 17. However, the truce remains fragile, with Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon continuing unabated.



Also on Wednesday, Russian state media RIA Novosti, citing an unnamed diplomatic source, reported that Lebanon and Israel will hold their third round of talks in Washington next week.