Report: Lebanon seeks to revive 'fruitful dialogue' with US, allies

The Lebanese cabinet session scheduled for September 2 to discuss the Lebanese Army’s plan for disarming Hezbollah and the other armed groups will be held on time, a highly informed Lebanese source told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

The source, however, did not rule out a brief postponement of the session should domestic complications arise .

The source added that “there are contacts to overcome the impasse reflected by Speaker Nabih Berri’s remarks to Asharq al-Awsat.”

The efforts are aimed at “reviving the fruitful dialogue with the Americans and Lebanon’s other allies to devise a roadmap that pulls the situation out of the bottleneck,” the source went on to say.

Berri on Wednesday expressed frustration and said U.S. envoys Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus "brought nothing from Israel" and "came with something contrary to what they had promised us."

“Things have once again become complicated,” Berri said in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat.

Noting that things are “not easy,” the Speaker said “any matter that leads to dispute in the country is condemned,” when asked about the September 2 cabinet session that will discuss the Lebanese Army’s plan for Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Ortagus said on Tuesday that Lebanese authorities must execute their decision to disarm Hezbollah, adding that Israel would respond in kind to any government steps.

"We're all greatly encouraged by the historic decision of the government a few weeks ago, but now it's not about words, now it's about action," Ortagus told journalists at Lebanon's presidential palace in Baabda.

On Monday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a phased pullout of troops from Lebanon if Beirut implements its decision to disarm Hezbollah -- part of a November ceasefire agreement brokered by Washington.

Ortagus said that Israel was "willing to go step by step, it might be small steps... but they're willing to go step by step with this government."

Barrack, who was also part of the visiting delegation, said that when the Israelis see action from Lebanon, "they will give their counterproposal" on troop withdrawal and security arrangements.

The Lebanese government's decision to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year was made under heavy U.S. pressure and amid fears of expanded military action by Israel, which has continued to carry out attacks in Lebanon despite the November ceasefire.