2009年8月4日星期二

Lebanese PM-designate rejects amending UN resolution 1701

BEIRUT, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese designated Prime Minister Saad Hariri rejected Monday calls by Israel for the amendment of UN resolution 1701, official National News Agency (NNA) reported.

"All provisions of the resolution should be implemented without exceptions," Hariri told visiting UN special coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams.

Hariri warned the international community against the "danger of any manipulation of resolution 1701", calling to safeguard the role of UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) "which protects the Lebanese borders against any Israeli aggression."

Al-Akbar daily quoted Monday an Arab diplomatic source in New York as saying that Israel does not wish to keep the rules of engagement of UNIFIL mandate, adding that Israel is seeking to turn UNIFIL into "an international deterrent force in south Lebanon working for it."

Williams stated that he tackled with Hariri the 1701 resolution issue, and both reached the conclusion that the Lebanese factions must keep control of themselves and renew their commitment to the resolution.

Meanwhile, Israeli media said Israel hopes the Khirbet Selm blast will show the need to strengthen UNIFIL, and believes that UNIFIL could "sharpen its rules of engagements and act more forcefully with the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon villages."

A blast occurred in an abandoned building last Tuesday believed to be an ammunition depot for Hezbollah. Both Israel and UNIFIL accused the blast a violation of UN resolution 1701 which demands no paramilitary forces including Hezbollah between the Blue Line on the Israel-Lebanon border and Litani River.

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