BEIRUT, May 29. /TASS/. Representatives of the armed forces of the United States, Lebanon and Israel will meet in the Pentagon on Friday to discuss creating a coordination body on military issues and security measures, an Arab diplomatic source in Washington told the Al Hadath television channel.
"Strengthening the ceasefire will be at the top of the agenda based on a request from Lebanon’s military delegation led by Director of Operations in the Lebanese General Staff Brig. Gen. Georges Rizkallah," he said. "The military of the US, Lebanon and Israel will coordinate their steps."
The source added that the Lebanese delegation expects US mediators to intervene and exert pressure on Israel in order to reduce the intensity of Israeli military operations against pro-Iranian Shia organization, Hezbollah.
In his words, the call for de-escalation is expected to be one of the outcomes of the meeting in Pentagon, which precedes the fourth round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations scheduled to take place in Washington on June 2-3.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on May 25 that the Lebanese government’s decision to enter the US-mediated negotiations with Israel "will not be an act of concession or surrender." Instead, this step "confirms the state of Lebanon’s exclusive right for defending its sovereignty." He emphasized that the goal of his government was to ensure full Israeli withdrawal from his country’s southern regions.