Report: Egyptian security delegation meets with Hezbollah officials
In the past hours an Egyptian security delegation arrived in Beirut following a directive from the Egyptian leadership to initiate engagement with Lebanese authorities aimed at reducing tensions on the Lebanese scene and finding solutions, An-Nahar newspaper said.
Their first meeting was with a delegation from Hezbollah, arranged in advance, and lasted three and a half hours, with a senior security official in attendance.
Relevant figures within Hezbollah declined to disclose the content of the meeting or the proposals the delegation brought. However, sources close to the party's decision-making circles told An-Nahar of the following:
- The delegation did not bring anything new that differed from the core of the previous Egyptian offer presented by the head of Egyptian intelligence, Major General Hassan Rashad, during his visit to the Lebanese capital approximately a year ago. This offer was based on the idea that Hezbollah would announce its compliance with the government's decision to confine its weapons to the state, with these weapons remaining in the depots previously created by the party. These depots would be under the control and supervision of the Lebanese Army, and Hezbollah would pledge two things:
1- To refrain from using these weapons without the approval of the state.
2- Refrain from adding any new weapons to these stockpiles.
- The Hezbollah delegation was a listener and recipient, and had no orders or instructions to discuss the Egyptian proposals or respond to their contents.
- The only response the Egyptian delegation received from the Hezbollah delegation was that they should discuss the political issues with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, as he is the one authorized to answer and discuss them.
The same sources noted that the Egyptian delegation's proposals were insufficient, both in terms of content and timing, especially since this offer "failed to take into account the dramatic developments that have unfolded since March 2, both on the southern front and in the rapidly evolving regional landscape."
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