"Any agreements on the Middle East should be coordinated with all the main forces in Lebanon, including with Hezbollah, as the organization, which is represented in the parliament and government of Lebanon," Sergei Lavrov said.
He said that this was not only Russia's position but also that of some European countries and the UN secretary-general, who spoke directly about it at the recent ministerial meeting in Rome.
The foreign ministers of Russia, European countries, the United States, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and representatives of the UN, European Union and World Bank gathered in Rome July 26 with the main focus on the deployment of peacekeepers in the zone of conflict between Lebanon and Israel.
"I do not have information whether the United States supports this position, but I am sure there will be no stable and long-term peace without a comprehensive agreement," Lavrov said.
About 425 people have been reported dead in Lebanon since Israel launched military action more than two weeks ago after Islamic militant group Hizbollah captured two Israeli servicemen in a cross-border raid. At least 600,000 people are thought to have fled the fighting. More than 40 Israelis are also believed to have lost their lives in missile attacks conducted by Hizbollah.
