Report: Hochstein kept aide in Beirut for further talks

U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein, who left Monday night for Israel through Cyprus after visiting Lebanon, kept one of his top aides in Beirut to “continue meetings with Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker PM Najib Mikati and through them with Hezbollah,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Wednesday.

“Hochstein told some of those he met that he will put them in the picture of his talks with the Israeli leadership and that he has great confidence that the truce in Gaza is imminent and that he wants to make use of it to launch negotiations with Lebanon aimed at consolidating the ceasefire that will certainly take place (in south Lebanon) after the truce in Gaza,” the daily quoted sources as saying.

Lebanon will meanwhile wait for Hochstein to return to Beirut with “a detailed plan for calm on the Lebanese front once a truce is announced in Gaza,” al-Akhbar added.

“Officials in Beirut told the U.S. envoy that Lebanon is awaiting a convincing and practical paper,” the daily said.