Annan urges Israel to end Lebanon blockade
Lebanon-Israel-UN, Politics, 8/28/2006

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan today called for Israel to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon.

He also called for Lebanese resistance movement to free two captured Israeli soldiers.

"We are working for the lifting of the siege, I am discussing it with the Israeli authorities tomorrow, I hope there will be some movements on this in the not-too-distant future," he told a press conference.

He said the blockade would be one of the first items on his agenda when he visits Israel tomorrow, calling on Hizbullah to hand over the soldiers to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) or to Lebanese authorities.

Annan also met Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and parliament speaker Nabih Berri. "We are entering the stage of recovery and reconstruction, we have a chance to have a long-term ceasefire," Annan said after meeting Lebanese senior officials.

Berri told reporters that their talks focused on the punishing Israeli air and naval blockade on Lebanon which was in violation of the UN-brokered truce and insisted that Lebanon abides by all the terms of the ceasefire.

Annan called for the full implementation of the terms of the resolution, mainly the Israeli pullout from southern Lebanon, the deployment of the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers in the area.

He said that UN peacekeepers would only open fire if attacked, adding that the soldiers will use forcible means to defend themselves regardless of who attacks them.

On the eve of Annan's visit, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah said his fighters would not oppose the expanded UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) being deployed in the south, but warned that the peacekeepers should not seek to disarm them.

Fadi Abboud, a Lebanese manufacturer said his company might close because of the Israeli blockade, KCRW Worldnews reported today, with him saying that Israel's blockade is meant to harm Lebanon's economy, and has no military value, by questioning why would Israel prevent the Lebanese from exporting their products. He questioned how exporting products has to do with preventing weapons imports?

Previous Stories:
  Shortages of water, shelter as most Lebanese returned   (8/22/2006)
  Mixed feelings on UN peace mission in Lebanon, Israel   (8/22/2006)

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