See Kofi speak

See Kofi.

20 July 2006 – Renewing his urgent appeal for an end to the civilian carnage in Lebanon and northern Israel and condemning both that country’s use of excessive force as well as Hizbollah’s recklessness, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today proposed elements for a political framework aimed at achieving a lasting solution to the conflict.

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“Both the deliberate targeting by Hizbollah of Israeli population centres with hundreds of indiscriminate weapons and Israel’s disproportionate use of force and collective punishment of the Lebanese people must stop,” Mr. Annan told the Security Council upon his return to UN Headquarters today.

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Painting a grim picture of the widespread devastation, he noted that already, over 300 Lebanese have been killed and more than 600 wounded – mainly civilians, about one third of them children. “Much of the infrastructure in Beirut and around the country has been destroyed,” he said. “Lebanon remains under an Israeli military blockade, imposed by sea and air.”

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At the same time, he observed that the Israeli people, “who had hoped that Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon… would bring security along their northern border, find themselves under constant Hezbollah rocket attacks, which every day reach further into Israeli territory.” To date 28 Israelis have been killed and over 200 wounded.

See Kofi in 2005. Speak, Kofi, speak.

Question: During the Summit, do you have any plans to meet with the Lebanese President, along with Mr. Roed-Larsen, to discuss the implementation of resolution 1559, namely, on Hezbollah disarmament, on the demarcation of the Lebanese border between Syria and Lebanon and between Lebanon and Israel, and also the initialization of diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon?

The Secretary-General: I hope to meet President Lahoud. But I think when it comes to 1559, let us be clear here: a large part of the mandate has been fulfilled. The key elements of the mandate were to ensure that Syrian military redeployed out of Lebanon; that has been done. That the security apparatus is withdrawn; and they have done that. And that free and fair elections were organized; and that has also happened. As to the issue of disarmament of the militia, this is something that we are discussing with the Lebanese, it is the Lebanese Government that will have to do it. We are discussing it with them and they will have to determine when and how to do it.

With regard to relations between Syria and Lebanon, we have encouraged them to normalize their relations and establish normal relations, that is, as between two friendly States. On the question of the border, we have also encouraged formal demarcation of the border. As to your question on the Israeli-Lebanese border, you will recall that in the year 2000, Israel withdrew from the Lebanese territory, and we -– the UN –- drew the Blue Line and confirmed to the Security Council that Israel has complied with resolution 425 and has withdrawn from the Lebanese border. There is a contested strip -– the Shaba’a Farms -– which according to Israel and our record is Syrian. But the Lebanese claim it. And this is where we have a bit of conflict. And that is an issue that I hope will be resolved in the future.

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The international community remains steadfast in its determination to ensure that outside actors end all interference in the domestic affairs of Lebanon, and invites all parties within Lebanon to commit themselves to peaceful political reform and regional stability, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1559. We call on all regional States to respect fully the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon and the sole authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout its territory.

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SG: The dismantling of Palestinian militia in Lebanon does come under resolution 1559 (2004). But this is something that the Lebanese authorities will have to handle. And of course we have discussed this issue with them, and they will do it their way, in time, and organize themselves to do that. The other aspects of resolution 1559 (2004) that we have implemented we’ve discussed here in this House and in this room.

As to the signing of a peace agreement between Lebanon and Israel, that is a matter that the two countries will have to discuss. I’m not sure that on the Lebanese side they are ready to do that, as long as they believe that Shaba’a Farms is still under contention. And I think, in time, that may happen. But I don’t see it in the cards today.

See Kofi in 2000. Speak, Kofi, speak:

Q: Al-Hayat: President Assad said that the Shebaa Farms are Lebanese territories. Is it enough to say that Israel has to withdraw from this area?

SG: I think we have to base ourselves on the documents and the report to the Security Council and the exchange of letters I had with the two governments Lebanon and Israel, that led to the withdrawal of Israelis from the South. And I think in the report and in the understandings with the governments we indicated that Shebaa Farms for our purposes was in Syria and that it was covered by UNDOF not by UNIFIL. This does not exclude whatever arrangements Lebanon and Syria will make in the future as to the status of that particular territory. Now the withdrawal is done we’ve been grateful that it has been relatively quiet except for some stone-throwing that we are trying to bring under control. We are now trying to work with international donors to raise money for the reconstruction of the South, to develop the economy of the South and I hope the international community will give and give generously for this essential task because the people of the South need to be given the hope, the expectation that they can live peaceful and prosperous lives and I will continue to work with the Government of Lebanon for that.

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The Secretary-General emphasized that only the simultaneous implementation of the different elements of the package he put forward will allow for the transformation of any cessation of hostilities into a durable ceasefire. “When this is achieved, the international community will need to develop a framework for the final delineation of the borders of Lebanon and a decisive revival of the Middle East peace process,” he said.

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