UN official in Moscow meets with Russia on Lebanese self-determination

A top United Nations official met today with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the latest progress in promoting free elections in Lebanon and ridding the country of foreign influence and militias.

Terje Roed-Larsen, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559, which concerns those matters, is currently conducting a round of broad consultations with key partners on the issue and related matters.

Mr. Roed-Larsen described the meeting as productive and said he will remain in close contact with his Russian counterparts.

Resolution 1559, adopted in September 2004 by a margin of nine in favour with six abstentions, declared Council support for polling free of outside influence and called for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon, the disbanding of all militias and the extension of Government control over the entire country.

This past May, the Council welcomed "significant progress" towards those goals after significant withdrawals of Syrian troops, but expressed concern that other requirements of the measure had not been met.