By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Tuesday that he would be happy to start peace talks with the Jewish state’s northern neighbor Lebanon.
“I would be very happy if the Lebanese government would announce its interest in direct, bilateral talks with Israel. I see this as having many advantages,” local daily the Jerusalem Post quoted him as saying at a cabinet meeting.
Israel and Lebanon were engaged in a 34-day war in mid-2006 after the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border attack, six years after Israel ended its 18-year-long military presence in the neighboring country it invaded in 1982.
Olmert’s remarks came weeks after Israel and its other northern neighbor Syria announced they had started indirect negotiations under the auspices of Turkey after an 8-year-long break off. Israeli officials have said that talks with Syria are expected to resume this week.
Meanwhile, Israel is also negotiating with the Palestinians, with the goal of reaching a comprehensive peace agreement within 2008.