Berri in 'serious' talks with US, pending points related to monitoring committee

"Serious discussions have resumed" between Speaker Nabih Berri and U.S. officials and there are talks regarding the proposed agreement, but things have not reached the final stages, contrary to what the Israelis are claiming, the pro-Hezbollah Al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Friday, quoting informed sources.

"The pending points are related to the formation of an international committee comprising the U.S., the UK, France and a fourth country that might be Jordan in order to monitor the implementation of Resolution 1701 with all its stipulations," the sources added.

Diplmoatic sources meanwhile revealed to Al-Akhbar that "the new pacification vision according to specific U.S. proposal regarding the Gaza Strip and Lebanon was discussed between Egyptian and U.S. officials over the past two days."

"Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed some details of the proposal during his visit to Beirut during which he met with several parties," the sources said.

An Egyptian official for his part told Al-Akhbar that "Israel's resumption of its airstrikes in Beirut's southern suburbs over the past hours is perhaps an attempt by Tel Aviv to destroy what it believes are the last Hezbollah positions in that area."