Qatar and Turkey are spearheading secret contacts and efforts to resolve the situation in south Lebanon and subsequently address Hezbollah’s status, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Monday.

“Indications suggest that each side is acting independently, with no unified initiative in place. The initial phase of these contacts focuses on de-escalating tensions in the south, with the aim -- should these efforts succeed -- of moving on to discuss the future of Hezbollah’s arsenal,” the daily said.