The US State Department announced that its head Marco Rubio will visit Rome and the Vatican from May 6 to 8.
Rubio, who, in addition to being Secretary of State, is also the President's National Security Advisor, announced that he plans to discuss the persecution of Christians and the situation in Lebanon during his upcoming visits to Italy and the Vatican.
He noted that the Vatican is represented in over 100 countries and the US discusses with the Holy See many issues related to religious freedom and the persecution of Christians in different regions of the world.
„So we have a lot to discuss with them and I am quite actively engaged with them on these issues. It is natural that we maintain contact with them. Other secretaries of state have done this in the past,“ he said.
The senior American diplomat denied the journalists' suggestions that his trip to Italy was related to the recent statement by the US president about his dissatisfaction with Rome's fulfillment of its obligations to NATO.
„No. Look, the Italians have been involved in the training of the Lebanese police and their forces for a long time. So we would be very interested to hear their opinions on this issue,“ said Rubio.
According to him, the main obstacle to the normalization of relations between Israel and Lebanon is the Shiite movement Hezbollah, whose influence on the Lebanese government, according to Washington, must be limited.
„But we need to strengthen the capacity of the Lebanese government to do this. And I think Italy could help with that“, the Secretary of State concluded.
The US administration believes that a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon is realistic.
„I believe that a peace agreement between Lebanon and Israel is entirely achievable and should be achieved. The problem in the relations between Israel and Lebanon is not Israel or Lebanon, it is Hezbollah“, Rubio said.
„That is why we are very committed to this process. But it will not be easy“, the US Secretary of State added.
Earlier, the Naharnet news portal reported that the third round of consultations between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the US will be held on May 6-7 in Washington. According to the news portal, the diplomats will discuss preparations for direct bilateral negotiations scheduled for the second half of May.