">Forum Views ()
">Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Lebanese president rules out direct Israel talks
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
Yahoo! Search
Search:
Sign InNew User? Sign Up
News Home -
Help
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
Search
Search:
Lebanese president rules out direct Israel talks
Reuters - Thursday, March 19
By Francois Murphy
ADVERTISEMENT
PARIS - Lebanon's president ruled out on Wednesday holding direct peace talks with Israel, saying that the best way to resolve his country's differences with the Jewish state was to hold a regional peace conference instead.
Speaking at the end of a three-day visit to France, which has repeatedly said it hopes Lebanon will follow Syria in holding peace talks with Israel, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman stuck to his country's stance on the issue.
"We have always refused to hold direct talks with the Israelis. We have always said that we would be prepared to accept a peace conference based on the Madrid conference and also on the international legal texts," Suleiman told a news conference, referring to a 1991 peace conference in Madrid.
Suleiman said he had asked French President Nicolas Sarkozy to help resolve disputes with Israel such as obtaining a map of the land mines left by the Jewish state during its 2006 war with Hezbollah guerrillas, and obtaining Israel's withdrawal from the disputed Shebaa Farms area in accordance with U.N. resolutions.
"I also invited President Sarkozy to work towards a global approach for the solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And we have also called for that to happen in the framework of an international conference to which all the parties involved would be invited," he said, speaking through an interpreter.
Syria and Israel announced last year that they were holding indirect peace talks under Turkish mediation, but the process has been suspended due to the Israeli general election last month, after which right-winger Benjamin Netanyahu was asked to form a government.
A senior adviser to Netanyahu said last week the prime minister-designate would likely shelve the peace talks with Syria given Damascus's territorial demands and its alliance with Israel's arch-foe Iran.
Sarkozy has forged closer ties with Syria in order to solve a political crisis in Lebanon and help broker peace in the Middle East. He has praised Syria for helping reach a political deal in Lebanon which led to Suleiman's election in May.
Syria, which withdrew its troops from Lebanon in 2005 after a 29-year presence, opened an embassy in Beirut last year under international pressure to establish normal diplomatic ties and treat its smaller neighbour as a fully sovereign country.
The two states had not had diplomatic relations since Britain and France carved them out of the remnants of the Ottoman Empire in 1920.
Damascus has not yet named an ambassador but Suleiman said the delay was due to purely administrative reasons.
"I know that the name will be announced soon," he said.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: World
Prison releases photo of elderly Charles MansonAP - 1 hour 42 minutes ago
Pope seeks to defuse backlash on condom commentsAFP - 2 hours 9 minutes ago
Suspect in NC slaying of family of 4 dead in UtahAP - 2 hours 59 minutes ago
Mich. man shoots self after killing 1, wounding 2AP - Thursday, March 19
Metro areas with largest population jumps in 2008AP - Thursday, March 19
Most Popular – World
Viewed
AIG boss, and Obama, in firing line in Congress
Actress Natasha Richardson dies after ski accident
Injured actress Richardson flown to US: hospital
Miniature carnivore dinosaurs roamed North America
Arrest warrant issued for Lindsay Lohan
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Community
- Intellectual Property Rights Policy
- Help
Other News on Thursday, 19 March 2009 U.S. and Asia should match European welfare net: EU
| International
|
Sudan ready to talk to U.S. envoy, wants normalcy
| International
|
Israel's Netanyahu courts center-left Labor
| International
|
UK to reveal secret agents' interrogation methods
| International
|
Nokia to shutter its Mosh success story
| Technology
|
Consumers want unrestricted Internet access: survey
| Technology
|
NBC boss: Jon Stewart's criticism absurd, unfair
| Entertainment
|
Kelly Clarkson tops U.S. album chart
| Entertainment
|
Cable industry hopes downturn keeps people at home
| Entertainment
|
Clash guitarist reveals his Rock & Roll library
| Entertainment
|
Sotheby's withdraws star lot from Versace auction
| Entertainment
|
Japan's Kuniyoshi inspired Monet as well as manga
| Entertainment
|
NATO recommits troops for Afghan polls
Israel mulls tougher terms for Palestinian inmates
Israeli dad blames Olmert over failure to free son
Austria's Fritzl faces verdict in murder trial
| International
|
Global warming leaving its mark on polar bears
Lebanese president rules out direct Israel talks
U.S. mulls counter-insurgency push in Afghanistan
| International
|
French President faces new strike test
Arab child's sickbed is part of the battleground
North Korea guards detain U.S. journalists: TV report
| International
|
Actress Natasha Richardson dies after ski accident
China to send more ships to South China Sea
| International
|
Warming to speed icesheet collapse
Israelis round up Hamas politicians in West Bank
| International
|
Madoff auditor surrenders on fraud charge
U.S. plans soon to ease ban on contacts with Iran
| International
|
Fed adds $1.15 tln to economic fight
Madagascar's Rajoelina takes office
Homemade bomb explodes outside Greek MP's office
| International
|
Fed to add trillion dollars to economic fight
Azerbaijan votes to lift Aliyev term limit
| International
|
Italy's Unicredit seeks state aid
Global warming leaving its mark on polar bears
Mexican tariffs on 89 US products take effect
China says US could hold up climate deal
New Mexico governor bans death penalty
Warming to speed icesheet collapse
Obama cautious on gay rule in US military
Democrats split on fast-track budget for Obama
Colombian ex-army major sent to US on drug charges
New government brochure explains climate science
Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 8
| Technology
|
Officials: US prepares civilian 'surge' in Afghan
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,259
Sony Reader taps Google's public domain books
| Technology
|
US-TECH Summary
Sony Reader taps Google's public domain books
Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 8
IBM in talks to buy Sun Microsystems: sources
| Technology
|
Mexico to raise tariffs on US goods
Sun rises on IBM purchase reports
Privacy group urges probe of Google cloud services
Woman among two favourites for Slovak presidency
Nokia to shutter its "Mosh" success story
Briton freed after 27 years as conviction quashed
Consumers want unrestricted Internet access: survey
Barroso well placed for second term as EC chief
Fujitsu cutting 1,750 Philippines jobs
Ontario to help emerging tech firms raise capital
France attacks pope condom comments
Sony Reader taps Google's public domain books
Space tourism to take flight in 2012
Nokia to shutter its "Mosh" success story
Pope sparks condom backlash on Africa visit
Natasha Richardson dies after ski fall
| Entertainment
|
Elimination gives American Idol its final 10
| Entertainment
|
Kanye West charged in airport scuffle
| Entertainment
|
Japan PM: NKorea sanctions warning over rockets
VH1 resuscitates Behind the Music
| Entertainment
|
Tiger Woods' fee queried in Australia
Nicolas Cage journeys deeper into sci-fi
| Entertainment
|
Beijing human rights law firm shut down
China may up patrols amid South China Sea disputes
Stacy Keach had mild stroke: spokesman
| Entertainment
|
Militants to free Red Cross hostage in Philippines
Shows honored for television with conscience
| Entertainment
|
Thai PM faces no confidence motion
Salma Hayek back acting in Adam Sandler comedy
NKorean military detains US journalists: report
Aid group says worker killed in Sri Lanka war zone
China firm shares tumble after failed Coke bid
Vietnam reports another human bird flu case
GRAPHIC-S.Korea's 'March crisis' not showing up in markets
Filipino troops to pull back, hostages threatened
Experts say Asia needs to rely less on exports
New York Dolls reunite with Rundgren for new album
| Entertainment
|
S.Korea govt to buy $2.8 bln in local bonds-report
Springsteen leads Seeger 90th birthday tribute
| Entertainment
|
Lights on for some Kabul residents
Toyota to halve recruitment in 2009: report
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
SKorea to spend US$3.5bln to create jobs
VH1 resuscitates "Behind the Music"
AIG boss, Obama in the hot-seats as Congress fumes
Elimination gives "American Idol" its final 10
Taiwan dollar at 1-mth high on Fed bond purchase
Albania businessmen hope to outflank crisis
China's US$65mln Costa Rica investment
Natasha Richardson dies after fall on ski slope
S.Korea to spend $3.5 bln for more jobs
Richardson was a true daughter of the theater
Filmmaker depicts ugly underbelly of corporations
Contents of Versace's home sell for 7m pounds
AP NewsAlert
Maxis commits $10 billion to India mobile unit
Austria's Fritzl gets life in psychiatric ward for incest-murder
| International
|
Israel seizes Hamas political leaders
Arab League chief presses for Iraqi reconciliation
Bomb attack kills Afghan MP, four bodyguards
| International
|
Hundreds of thousands march in French protests
| International
|
Israel to probe reported abuse by soldiers in Gaza
Israeli soldiers break ranks over Gaza war
| International
|
Operator BAA 'must sell three UK airports'
Military to check reports of ethical abuse in Gaza
Yemen offers reward to help track down militants
| International
|
Bomb kills anti-Taliban Afghan MP
EU leaders under pressure to boost economies
Israel seizes 10 Hamas members in West Bank
Outside forces ravaging Africa: Vatican
| International
|
Bin Laden urges Somalis to topple new president
| International
|
Israeli ex-president Katsav indicted for rape
| International
|
Zimbabwe says in talks with West on sanctions
| International
|
Sony Ericsson puts U.S. focus on camera phones in '09
| Technology
|
Sony Ericsson puts U.S. focus on camera phones in '09
Cisco flips for Flip
| Technology
|
Sony Ericsson puts U.S. focus on camera phones in '09
Sotheby's Versace villa sale beats estimates
| Entertainment
|
Cannes in first as animated film opens festival
| Entertainment
|
Violence at Indonesian Greenpeace protest
Broadway thriving despite recession
| Entertainment
|
North Korean guards detain U.S. journalists
Kyrgyz court rules for early presidential vote
Cambodian court sentences American to 13 years
Aid group says worker killed in Sri Lanka war zone
SKorea arrests Japanese near border with NKorea
Militants agree to free Red Cross hostage: official
S.Korea c.bank may buy T-bonds for extra budget-paper
CIA director meets with Indian security officials
Goldman offers bid for Universal Studios Japan
Parents say Sichuan quake school not built to code
China shares up for 4th day on revival hopes
Japan mulling more sanctions against North Korea
Reports: China East Star airline chief detained
Nationalistion of China's first private airline
'Late Late Show' host Ferguson has comedy special
China Mobile reports 2008 net profit up 30 percent
HSBC Taiwan sees profits in '09 vs record profit yr ago
Sotheby's Versace villa sale beats estimates
Cannes in first as animated film opens festival
Japanese stocks get hit by jump in yen
Pixar 3D animation 'Up' to open Cannes filmfest
Report: 1st medics turned away in Richardson fall
'American Idol' contestants head to Motown
Broadway thriving despite recession
Chow Yun-fat to play Confucius in new film: media
Greenpeace activists roughed up in Indonesia
'Kosmos': the singing, swimming mayor of Kiev
Cisco buys Flip Video maker for $590 million
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights