1st LD Writethru: Israel, Lebanon agree to implement ceasefire

WASHINGTON, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Lebanon agreed Wednesday to implement a ceasefire, according to a joint statement released on Wednesday following trilateral negotiations in Washington.

The ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector, said the statement issued by the two countries and the United States.

Israel and Lebanon also agreed to advance the creation of "pilot zones" in Lebanon where the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah will be excluded.

In these pilot zones, "Lebanese Armed Forces will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors," said the statement, which was issued at the end of a fourth round of the U.S.-mediated high-level talks held at the U.S. State Department in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The fifth round of high-level talks between Israel and Lebanon "with a view toward reaching a comprehensive agreement" has been scheduled to be held later this month, said the statement. Enditem