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Moussa criticizes draft UN resolution on Lebanon
7/8/2006 10:09

Visiting Secretary-General of the Arab League (AL) Amr Moussa criticized on Sunday a draft UN Security Council resolution on Lebanon, saying it did not call for an immediate ceasefire directly, the official SANA news agency reported.

"The proposal calls for stopping hostile operations and not a ceasefire," Moussa said after meeting with Syrian President Basharal-Assad, adding that "This constitutes a defect in the Security Council which should adopt a clear position toward military actions."

Assad and Moussa met one day after France and the United States agreed on a draft UN resolution called for a halt to the violence, and the draft is expected to be voted by UN Security Council on Monday or Tuesday.

The draft resolution calls for "full cessation of hostilities" by Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon which have been involved in a bloody conflict since July 12.

The Lebanese cabinet, however, expressed reservations about the draft, saying it was inadequate.

Lebanese Parliament speaker Nabih Berri on Sunday said his country refused to accept the draft resolution, as it did not comply with a seven-point plan put forward by Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora during an international conference in Rome, Italy on July 26 to resolve the Lebanon-Israel crisis.

The seven-point plan includes an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of prisoners, putting the Shebaa Farms under the UN control, sending the Lebanese army into south Lebanon and expanding the UN peacekeeping force.

Meanwhile, Assad and Moussa discussed the continuous Israeli aggression on Lebanon and means of supporting the Lebanese and an upcoming Arab foreign ministers meeting which was due to be held in Beirut on Monday, said the report.

Moussa said the meeting was very important because the Arab countries should adopt a position to support and help Lebanon in its resistance against Israel under the current dangerous situation.

"The meeting has a clear mission, that is, to support Lebanon's resistance," Moussa said.

Moussa will take part in the meeting, which was proposed by Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faysal, SANA said, adding that the AL chief left Damascus Sunday afternoon for Jordanian capital Amman where he will fly to Beirut.

Moussa arrived in Syria late Saturday from Saudi Arabia, where he met King Abdullah and the two discussed the situation in Lebanon and the possible ceasefire.

The conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah has entered its 26th day on Sunday, since Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight during cross-border attacks on July 12.

Some 900 Lebanese have been killed and a quarter of Lebanon's population displaced since Israel launched a massive assault on Lebanese Hezbollah in retaliation for the abduction of two Israeli soldiers.



Xinhua News