Meeting Olmert, Annan renews call for lifting of Israeli blockade against Lebanon

Meeting today in Jerusalem with Israel’s Prime Minister and other top officials, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan renewed calls for the immediate lifting of the blockade of Lebanon, which has now been in place for the past seven weeks, and said all sides had a responsibility to work for peace in the strife-torn region.

Mr. Annan, who arrived in Israel yesterday after high-level talks in Lebanon, also told Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he had repeated his calls for the “unconditional” release of captured Israeli soldiers, including discussing this issue with a Hizbollah member of the Lebanese cabinet.

“I have been urging for the immediate lifting of the blockade on Lebanon. It is important not only because of the economic effect it is having on the country but it is also important to strengthen the democratic Government of Lebanon with which Israel has repeatedly said it has no problems,” Mr. Annan told a joint press conference with the Israeli Prime Minister.

“When I was in Lebanon…I stressed the unambiguous release and unconditional release of the abducted soldiers. And, of course, here I have also raised the question of the issue of the prisoners.”

Mr. Annan, who also visited the families of the three Israeli soldiers, stressed the impact on civilians of the recent conflict between Hizbollah and Israel and emphasized the need to fully implement Security Council resolution 1701 that ended the 34 days of fighting.

“Israel is also a country where innocent civilians have suffered. Hundreds of thousands have also had to spend a month or so in bomb shelters just as in Lebanon where innocent civilians have suffered,” he said.

“I will also want to use this opportunity to call on all neighbours – all the neighbours – to really cooperate fully with the implementation of the resolution,” said Mr. Annan, who is on a diplomatic tour of the region that will include stops in Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, and likely Syria and Iran as well.

“This is a resolution that Israel has accepted,” the Secretary-General continued. “The Lebanese Government, including Hizbollah, has accepted it. And we all have a responsibility to work to make sure that it is fully implemented.”

While in Jerusalem, the Secretary-General also met with Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres before holding discussions with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, at which he also emphasized the importance of resolution 1701, adding that he had been encouraged by the talks so far during his regional visit but that there was no time to waste.

“Having come from Lebanon, and also held discussions with the Israeli leadership, I am convinced that both countries are determined to implement 1701 fully. They see an opportunity to turn a page and build on a very solid basis. And I think that it is important that we do so rapidly, sustain the momentum, and not let this drag.”

Mr. Annan will next fly to Ramallah for discussions with the President of the Palestinian Authority before travelling to Jordan and elsewhere in the region as part of his further diplomatic efforts.

Meanwhile, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said today that the Israeli Defence Forces had continued their withdrawal from the south of the country, leaving the general area of Bastra and the area south of the Kafr Shuba and Shaba villages. UNIFIL has established checkpoints and will carry out intensive patrolling and plans to handover the area to the Lebanese Armed Forces.