By News Agencies, Jerusalem Post, 19.6.00
UNITED NATIONS (June 19)- The UN Security Council yesterday formally
endorsed Secretary-General Kofi Annan's conclusion that, as of June 16, Israel
had withdrawn its forces from southern Lebanon.
With Lebanon still insisting that Israel occupies part of its territory,
Russia delayed a formal endorsement for two days but finally agreed to a
revised statement which notes "with serious concern reports of violations
that have occurred since June 16."
Annan had threatened to cancel a trip to Lebanon today unless the
council endorsed the UN verification of Israel's pullout, diplomats said.
A statement read at an open meeting by the council president, France's UN
Ambassador Jean-David Levitte, called on Israel and Lebanon to respect the
withdrawal line identified by the UN. In a nod to Russia, the council also
acknowledged there may have been some violations of the border, as Lebanon
insists, since Annan made his certification on Friday.
Lebanon complained that Israel has been using roads on its side of the
border and is still occupying parts of its territory. According to diplomats,
Israel is building a border fence and moving equipment back and forth.
In Cairo, Annan described the spat between the UN and Lebanon as a
"hiccup."
Annan, on a Middle East tour which will take him to Beirut today, said
UN troops are responsible for verifying any violations on the border, not the
countries involved.
"I would not describe what is between the United Nations and
Lebanon as a dispute. It is more of a hiccup which will be overcome," he
told a news conference. "Verification of violations is the responsibility
of the United Nations and not either party. If we hand over the verification to
either party, then we are entering dangerous ground.
"The presence of any Israeli soldier inside the Lebanese borders
would mean the violation of the borders drawn by the UN and I'll file a
complaint to the Security Council then."
Beirut yesterday rejected US efforts to win its approval of the Security
Council statement. President Emile Lahoud said the government had refused to
give its approval and would not accept any "false line" in place of
its internationally recognized border.
UN officials have said the line is not negotiable. But Lebanon has
simultaneously promised cooperation with the United Nations.
"We are at the tail-end of our work and hope to deploy troops on
the border soon," Annan declared.
On arriving in Cairo, Annan said there are problems concerning the
demarcation of the border but that both sides have agreed to the importance of
finding a solution.
The council "endorses the work done by the United Nations, as
mandated by the Security Council, including the secretary-general's conclusion
that as of June 16, 2000, Israel has withdrawn its forces from Lebanon in
accordance with resolution 425 (1978)," the statement said.
The language is less direct than the previous draft, which stated that
the council endorsed Annan's conclusion that Israel had withdrawn its forces
from Lebanon. But diplomats stressed that the text which was adopted includes
the critical endorsement.
Under 1978 Security Council resolutions, UN peacekeeping troops were
charged with verifying any IDF pullout from Lebanon. They are then charged with
helping the Lebanese Army restore security and authority in the border zone.
The council reached tentative agreement on the UN pullout verification
Saturday night after a marathon 10-hour session that included a conference call
with Lahoud, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Annan's Mideast envoy
Terje Larsen, and other officials.
Lebanon's repeated insistence that Israel has not completely left its
territory led to another six-hour session yesterday, before the statement was
finally adopted.