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David Miliband: UK should talk to Hizbollah

December 3, 2009 15:31
David Miliband: Britain should talk to Hizbollah

ByJessica Elgot, Jessica Elgot

1 min read

Foreign Secretary David Miliband says that Britain should reopen dialogue with Hizbollah, according to an interview in a Lebanese newspaper.

But the Foreign Office said there was no change in any policy towards Hizbollah and that Mr Miliband's words had been "completely misrepresented".

Beirut newspaper the Daily Star reported that Mr Miliband said he believed "carefully considered contact with Hizbollah's politicians, including its MPs, will best advance our objective of the group rejecting violence to play a constructive role in Lebanese politics.

“We have no illusion about Hizbollah’s [arsenal] but rather than focusing on hurdles, we are focused on the best way to ensure political stability in Lebanon, which is vital to peace in the Middle East.”