Kofi Annan could open Beirut Escwa building

The United Nations secretary General Kofi Annan could visit Lebanon in the next three months to inaugurate the new Escwa building in the downtown district, foreign minister Fares Boueiz said on October 1.

Boueiz said that he had invited Annan to Beirut during a 20 minute meeting between the two offcials. The discussion focused on the continued support of Unifil in the south, the proposed reform to the UN-including the reduction of Unrwa's budget-and the voting structure of the UN security council.

Boueiz quoted the UN official describing Unifil as "consecrating the existence of the struggle in the region and the illegality of the Israeli presence there."

Boueiz repeated his opposition to any further cuts in the UNRWA budget, saying that he feared this financial issue could turn into a political issue with the host countries forced to integrate Palestinian refugees.

"Even if reducing the UNRWA deficit is motivated by the need to solve a financial problem, it could be interpreted as a step to impose a social integration of the Palestinian refugees which in turn will become a political integration," Boueiz said.

The foreign minister admitted he had asked Annan to try and limit the reduction of UNRWA's budget, stressing that "The responsibility for a settlement to the Palestinian problem is that of the international community."

Although Annan reportedly insisted that the issue is merely financial, Boueiz said that the UN secretary general was aware of Lebanon's concerns and would help solve the problem.

Boueiz also asked the UN chief to transfer UNICEF's offices from Amman to Beirut, its base before the civil war began.

Elsewhere, Arab Foreign ministers gathered at the 2nd session of the UN general assembly appeared confident of a new impetus in the Israeli-Palestinian peace track but continued to insist on the need for a new US initiative to force Israel change its regional policy.