| French UN text cites lack
of progress disarming Lebanon militia UNITED
NATIONS - France on Friday circulated a draft UN text deploring that the Lebanese
government has yet to exert full control over all its territory after Syria's military
withdrawal, and the lack of progress in disarming militias in Lebanon.
The French draft, circulated in the Security Council, proposes to "recognize that the
parties concerned have made significant and noticeable progress towards implementing some
of the provisions of Resolution 1559," which called for the withdrawal of foreign
forces from Lebanon.
Syria declared an end to its 29-year troop presence in Lebanon on Tuesday.
But the text also proposes to "deplore the fact that there has been no progress
towards the disarmament of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militia, and that the government of
Lebanon still does not fully exert control over all its territory."
Resolution 1559 also calls for the disarmament of all militias, in reference to the Shiite
movement Hezbollah and Palestinian factions.
The French text also proposes to "welcome the deployment of Lebanese Armes Forces to
positions vacated by Syrian forces ... and call for the deployment of additional Lebanese
Armed Forces throughout the South of Lebanon."
The text could be passed as a UN Security Council resolution or a presidential declaration
after debate and possible amendments, diplomatic sources said.
The text was proposed as a reaction to a UN report released after Syria declared its
withdrawal. In the report, UN chief Kofi Annan said the claim would be tested by a team of
military experts who were sent to Damascus.
On Friday, Annan said "obviously there's visible progress" in Syria's withdrawal
from Lebanon, but that he would wait for his team's report before making a final judgment.
The French text asks for the "full cooperation" of Syria and Lebanon with the UN
experts.
A US diplomat, Stuart Holliday, said Washington remained "concerned about reports of
continuing Syrian involvement and interference in Lebanese internal affairs."
"Of course, we continue as we did in the resolution to call for the disbanding of all
militias in Lebanon. There is no role for armed militias in Lebanon, for Hezbollah as the
Lebanese people seek to build a more hopeful and democratic future," he said.
Lebanon will hold legislative elections starting May 29. |
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