BERLIN (Anadolu)

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced on Saturday that his country aims to forge a joint policy with France on Lebanon in order to enhance opportunities for peace in the Middle East.

In an interview with German newspaper "Tagesspiegel," Wadephul said that the "German-French cabinet meeting," scheduled for July 17, will see the launch of joint initiatives aimed at strengthening Europe's role in foreign policy.

He explained that these initiatives also include addressing overlapping competencies in the European Union's foreign policy.

Wadephul added: "We also want to establish a joint policy with France toward Lebanon to increase the chances of peace in the Middle East."

He also touched on the war in Ukraine and developments in Iran, stressing the need for serious diplomatic efforts to resolve the two conflicts.

The German foreign minister said: "We must now launch a very serious initiative to resolve these two conflicts."

He emphasized that "neither will be decided on the battlefield, but at the negotiating table, and the sooner that happens, the better for the people."

Since March 2, Israel has been carrying out an aggression against Lebanon against the backdrop of the war with Iran, resulting in 4,322 deaths and 12,210 injuries as of July 9, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the war that took place between 2023 and 2024, while it advanced more than 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory during its latest aggression.