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Israeli FM to meet with Annan on Lebanon following ceasefire
16/8/2006 10:02

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is heading to a meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York, discussing related issues after ceasefire in Lebanon, local media reported yesterday.

Livni will leave for New York Tuesday night to advance Israel's interests after implementing the cease-fire in Lebanon, said the Jerusalem Post, adding another topic during the visit is the international forces that will be stationed in Lebanon.

Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said on Monday that Israeli officials had held a meeting with the UN peacekeepers in Lebanon on withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, local newspaper Ha'aretz reported.

A UN-brokered cease-fire in Lebanon took into force at 0500 GMTon Monday morning following both Israeli and Lebanese approval.

On Friday, UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling for Israel's withdrawal and authorizing an increase of the existing UN force in Lebanon to 15,000 troops to help Lebanese government troops take control of south Lebanon as Israel withdraws.

The Jerusalem Post report said Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had initially barred Livni from the trip over the weekend, which was considered as a result of the divarication between the two in military operations in Lebanon.

Livni had opposed the decision to bomb Hezbollah's headquarters in Beirut at the start of the war, the report said.

However, Livni explained that her relationship with the prime minister had been proper.




Xinhua News