Lebanon and Israel concluded U.S.-brokered talks in Rome on Wednesday, with a U.S. official saying they had made progress on implementing a plan that could see Israeli forces begin to withdraw from some parts of southern Lebanon within days.
The two longtime foes held ambassador-level talks at the U.S. embassy in Rome on July 14-15 - their sixth round of face-to-face negotiations since a new war erupted on March 2 between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, triggered by the wider regional conflict.
Under a U.S.-brokered June 26 framework deal, Lebanon and Israel agreed to implement a "pilot zone" project that would see the disarmament of militant groups - an apparent reference to Hezbollah - as well as the deployment of Lebanese troops to the south and the progressive withdrawal of Israeli forces still occupying Lebanese land, Reuters reported.
"We agreed on the structure and guidelines for the pilot zone process, to be finalized and implemented in the coming days," the official said.
The official said talks would move to a technical phase to implement the framework deal and reach a "comprehensive agreement between Israel and Lebanon."
