LEBANON: U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urges Hizbollah to release Israeli soldiers and Israel to lift its blockade of Lebanon; tours south Beirut bomb damage

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Monday (August 28) he wanted the two Israeli soldiers whose capture by Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas sparked a 34-day war with Israel to be released under Red Cross auspices. In a joint news conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Annan also urged Israel to lift its six-week-old sea and air blockade of Lebanon and said he was satisfied with steps taken by the Lebanese government to police its borders. "In Lebanon there should be, as we have all agreed, one law, one authority one gun. I am urging my Israeli interlocutors to lift immediately the blockade on Lebanon. And I am working with them and other international partners to see that this is done. I also renew my call for the abducted soldiers to be freed and as a first step to be transferred under the auspices of ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) either to the government of Lebanon or to a third party. And we the UN (United Nations) will be prepared to play a role should we be required to do so. And I offer our services," Annan said. Annan, due in Israel on Tuesday (August 29), is seeking progress on all the issues involving Israel, Lebanon and Hizbollah in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for an expanded United Nations peacekeeping force to cement the August 14 truce. Earlier, Annan had separate talks with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a key ally of Hizbollah, which has nominated him to negotiate on its behalf. Annan also held separate talks with Energy Minister Mohammed Fneish, one of two Hizbollah cabinet ministers, a Lebanese official said. The U.N. resolution authorised up to 13,000 soldiers to join 2,000 UN troops already in Lebanon and help 15,000 Lebanese troops police a border zone free of Israeli or Hizbollah forces. The new force's role was a central topic in Annan's talks with Siniora, as was removing the Israeli blockade. Israel says it will keep up the air and sea restrictions until an arms embargo on Hizbollah is enforced. It wants UN troops to guard Lebanon's 375 km (233 mile) border with Syria. Plans for the UN force firmed up after Annan met European foreign ministers who on Friday pledged up to 7,000 troops -- enough to ensure the expanded force will have a European core. Turkey agreed in principle to join the force, a spokesman in Ankara said. He gave no figures. Turkish media suggested this month Turkey could send 500 to 1,000 non-combat troops. Annan stressed the importance of all countries respecting the UN resolution 1701 in its entirety. "Lebanon has to protect its borders but all nations have to respect the security council resolution that has imposed an embargo on arms shipments into Lebanon," he said. In Beirut as part of a Middle East trip to promote a lasting ceasefire, Annan also said he would ask Syria this week to set up diplomatic ties with Lebanon and police its side of their border against arms smuggling. After the joint news conference Annan inspected the damage to Beirut's southern suburb following Israel's war with Hizbollah where hundreds of people turned out onto the streets, many holding up banners and chanting slogans critical of the U.N.'s handling of the 34-day war between Hizbollah and Israel. Annan also visited the grave of the late former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. Hariri, credited with rebuilding Lebanon after a devastating civil war, was killed in February 2005, when his motorcade was bombed on the sea front in Beirut. An interim report in December 2005 implicated senior Syrian officials and their Lebanese allies in the murder. They all deny any role. Annan is also due to visit Syria and Iran as part of his Middle East tour.

ITN Source | August 29, 2006

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