Sawt Falasteen - Blinken says Lebanon ceasefire talks 'in final stages'

"We're not there yet, but I believe we are in the final stages," Blinken told reporters after a meeting near Rome with G7 counterparts, adding that "by de-escalating tensions in the region, it can also help us to end the conflict in Gaza".

He was speaking as Israel's security cabinet convened to discuss a proposed ceasefire in its war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, as a flurry of air strikes hit central Beirut.

Blinken said that after months of "intensive diplomatic effort" with partners including France, working with Lebanon and Israel, he hoped to reach a conclusion "very soon".

"It will make a big difference in saving lives and livelihoods in Lebanon and in Israel. It will make a big difference in creating the conditions that will allow people to return to their home safely in northern Israel and in southern Lebanon," he said.

"And I also believe that by de-escalating tensions in the region, it can also help us to end the conflict in Gaza in particular."

"Hamas will know that it can't count on other fronts opening up in the war. So we're tracking this very closely, and I hope and believe that we can get this over the finish line."

The G7 industrialised nations include Britain, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, Italy and the United States.

Hosts Italy had invited ministers from several Arab nations to the talks in Fiuggi, in the Lazio region around Rome, from Saudi Arabia and Egypt to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

The Middle East dominated the first day of the two-day meeting, and Blinken said they had discussed how to "lay the foundation for a more durable peace now that Israel has achieved its strategic goals in the wake of October 7th (the Hamas attack on Israel) in Gaza".

"We agreed with our partners that we cannot end the conflict without a plan for the post-conflict, something that we're working on intensely," the US diplomat added.

C.AbuSway--SF-PST