Britain announced on Wednesday that it would engage in direct contacts with the political wing of the Hizbollah movement in Lebanon, recognising that the organisation has become part of the country’s national unity government.

However, announcing the move to parliament, Bill Rammell, Foreign Office minister for the Middle East, made clear that the UK would not be having contacts with Hizbollah’s military wing. He also said the move had no implications for Britain’s continued refusal to enter dialogue with Hamas in the Palestinian territories.