IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MANOUCHEHR MOTTAKI HELD TALKS WITH HIS LEBANESE COUNTERPART FAWZI SALLOUKH ON MONDAY IN BEIRUT, LEBANESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SOURCES SAID, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER PHILIPPE DOUSTE-BLAZY, ALSO VISITING BEIRUT, SAID ON MONDAY IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN CONTACTS WITH TEHRAN AS PART OF EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS IN LEBANON, WHERE HIZBOLLAH AND ISRAEL HAVE BEEN AT WAR FOR NEARLY THREE WEEKS.
