Lebanese parliament speaker rejects Rice package for resolving crisis
Lebanon's parliament speaker, Hizbullah's de facto negotiator, rejected proposals brought by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday, insisting a ceasefire must precede any talks about resolving Hizbullah's presence in the south, an official close to the speaker said.
Rice's talks with Prime Minister Fuad Siniora also appeared to have been tense. Siniora told Rice that Israel's bombardment was taking his country "backwards 50 years" and also called for a "swift ceasefire," the prime minister's office said. (AP)
