World powers meet to push Lebanon aid, ceasefire

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World powers meet to push Lebanon aid, ceasefire

World powers are meeting in Paris aiming to raise at least 500 million euros ($A811 million) in urgent humanitarian aid for Lebanon and push for a ceasefire, but with the US focused on its efforts, diplomats say they expect little concrete progress.

France has historical ties with Lebanon and has been working with Washington to try to secure a ceasefire.

But its influence has been limited since ******* launched a large-scale onslaught on Iran-backed Hezbollah in September that has seen thousands displaced and more than 2000 people *******.

Paris hastily arranged the conference as a means to show it still has clout in its former protectorate, but while 70 delegations and 15 international organisations are represented, few major ministers are attending.

France’s special envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian warned that if the conflict did not stop there was a risk of civil war.

“If this continues, Lebanon is in danger of ******,” he told LCI television.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting the Middle East on a final push for peace before November’s election, while Saudi Arabia, which has been reluctant to engage in Lebanon, sent a junior minister.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati and key ministers involved in relief efforts were expected to attend, but neither *******, whose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the initiative, nor Iran was invited.

According to France’s foreign ministry the conference aims to raise at least 500 million euros in aid to primarily help the 500,000 to one million displaced.

Lebanon says it needs $US250 million ($A376 million) a month to deal with the crisis.

The delegations will reiterate the need to cease hostilities based on the 2006 ******* Nations Security Council resolution 1701, which calls for southern Lebanon to be free of any troops or weapons other than those of the Lebanese state.

To achieve that, they will also seek to ramp up support for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), deemed as the guarantor of internal stability, but also vital to implementing 1701.

“The final objective is to recruit, train and equip 6,000 new LAF units,” an Italian diplomatic source said, adding that Rome would soon organise a conference focused on this.

Italy has some 1000 troops as part of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.

Diplomats say that once there is a ceasefire the mission will need to be made more robust.

Paris is also pushing Lebanese actors – despite reluctance from some – to move forward on the election of a president to fill a two-year power vacuum before a ceasefire.

Quite what can be achieved on the political front is unclear, diplomats said, although France touts its direct contacts with Hezbollah and Iran as an advantage compared to US mediation efforts.

Co-ordination between Paris and Washington has been difficult in recent weeks.

********* and ***** nations are critical that Washington is not calling for an immediate ceasefire and ***** the administration will not alter that position before the US election on November 5.

“Governments must do everything in their power to end this growing catastrophe and cycle of impunity,” a coalition of 150 non-governmental organisations said in a statement issued ahead of the Paris meeting.

“******** to act now is a choice … a choice that will fail to stop and prevent future atrocities.”

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