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Olmert sidesteps blockade call
30/08/2006 11:42 - (SA)
Jerusalem - Israel must lift its blockade of Lebanon, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday, but won no commitment from Israel.
Olmert sidestepped the issue, saying only that he expects full implementation of a UN-ceasefire deal that ended 34 days of Israel-Hezbollah fighting.
Israel has said it would not lift its blockade unless international forces, along with Lebanese troops, were deployed on the Lebanon-Syria border to prevent the flow of weapons from Syria to Hezbollah fighters.
Lebanon has said it would deploy its own forces there, but not international troops, and Annan has backed that approach.
Economic recovery
Annan said on Wednesday the lifting of the blockade is necessary to help Lebanon's economy recover from the war and to strengthen Lebanon's government.
He said the Lebanese authorities assure him they were taking measures to stop the flow of weapons, and that he believes Israel's security concerns can be addressed.
"In the meantime, I do believe the blockade should be lifted," Annan said.
Ceasefire deal
Olmert did not respond specifically to Annan's demand, saying only that the ceasefire deal must be implemented in its entirety.
"The international community must not divert its attention" until that happens, he said.
UN force
Annan, meanwhile, said he was working to expand the UN force to be deployed in Lebanon as rapidly as possible.
Olmert, meanwhile, said he hopes the ceasefire will provide an opening for contacts between Israel and Lebanon.
"I hope the conditions will change rapidly to allow direct contact between the government of Israel and the government of Lebanon to hopefully to reach agreement between the two countries," he said.
The ceasefire deal could be "a cornerstone to build a new reality between Israel and Lebanon," he said.
Release of captured Israeli soldiers
Annan, meanwhile, said he would do everything he can to bring about the release of three captured Israeli soldiers.
Two were snatched July 12 by Hezbollah fighters on the Israel-Lebanon border - the incident that triggered the war - and a third was seized by Palestinian militants with ties to Hamas in late June.
Annan said he met with Hezbollah officials in Lebanon and said he didn't get the impression that the soldiers were no longer alive.
- AP
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