Williams: Damascus says to resolve Shebaa Farms issue, a peace agreement with Israel is needed
United Nations Special Coordinator to Lebanon Michael Williams said the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and UNFIL prevented the violence in the Gaza Strip to reach South Lebanon.
In an interview with An-Nahar and As-Safir newspapers on Thursday, Williams denied that the UN had any information about the identity of those responsible for the rocket-launching toward Israel and noted that UNFIL was still investigating in these incidents.
He added the Lebanese cabinet had been planning a strategy to control the Lebanese-Syrian borders, saying he hoped the government would ratify it in 2009. He expressed the UN's readiness to assist the cabinet in the technicalities entailed in implementing such a plan.
Williams affirmed the UN did not have any hard evidence to prove Hezbollah was still importing weapons through the borders, adding that the speeches of Hezbollah officials on their powerful arsenal after the 2006 July War have "raised some questions."
He also said Syrian officials had informed him and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that Shebaa Farms were Lebanese, however, Damascus clarified that this issue could not be resolved unless a peace agreement with Israel was in place.
Williams announced his expected visit to Israel within a few weeks to discuss a plan defined by UNIFIL for the Israeli troops' withdrawal from the Ghajar village in South Lebanon toward the Blue Line.
Williams concluded that the Special Tribunal into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was a reality and would commence on March 1, noting it was now a separate issue and did not depend on the UN.
Source -NOW Lebanon
He added the Lebanese cabinet had been planning a strategy to control the Lebanese-Syrian borders, saying he hoped the government would ratify it in 2009. He expressed the UN's readiness to assist the cabinet in the technicalities entailed in implementing such a plan.
Williams affirmed the UN did not have any hard evidence to prove Hezbollah was still importing weapons through the borders, adding that the speeches of Hezbollah officials on their powerful arsenal after the 2006 July War have "raised some questions."
He also said Syrian officials had informed him and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that Shebaa Farms were Lebanese, however, Damascus clarified that this issue could not be resolved unless a peace agreement with Israel was in place.
Williams announced his expected visit to Israel within a few weeks to discuss a plan defined by UNIFIL for the Israeli troops' withdrawal from the Ghajar village in South Lebanon toward the Blue Line.
Williams concluded that the Special Tribunal into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was a reality and would commence on March 1, noting it was now a separate issue and did not depend on the UN.
Source -NOW Lebanon
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posted by DELTA BLOG at 7:20 AM
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