Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (left) with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Jerusalem on August 30 (epa)
PRAGUE, August 30, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- In talks with top Israeli officials today, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan failed to persuade Israel to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon.
Annan has been calling on Israel for days to end its air and sea blockade of Lebanon. But Israel specifically rejected those calls as Annan met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert today in Jerusalem.
Olmert said there would be no relaxation of the blockade on Lebanon until international forces were in place to stop arms smuggling to Hizballah.
'No Partial Implementation'
The refusal highlights some of the difficulties Annan faces as he continues a regional tour aimed at smoothing conditions for the deployment of up to 13,000 more international troops to Lebanon.
But as Annan seeks to firm up cooperation from all regional players, many are putting their own demands first.
Annan stressed today that the cease-fire will not hold unless all groups implement in full UN Security Council Resolution 1701 that ended the Israel-Hizballah war on August 14.
"Resolution 1701 is a fixed menu," he said. "It's not a buffet where you choose and pick. We have to implement it in its entirety."
Prisoner Exchange Difficulties
Annan has also had little success so far in ending the immediate dispute between Israel and Hizballah that sparked their monthlong battle. That was the militia's capture of two Israeli soldiers.
So far, Hizballah has said it will give the prisoners up only in exchange for Lebanese and Palestinian militants held by Israel.
But Olmert today reiterated Israel's demand the two soldiers be released unconditionally.
"The most important aspect of implementing Resolution 1701 is the unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev," he said. "As long as this objective is not achieved, Resolution 1701 cannot be considered as fully implemented."
Withdrawal's Timing Discussed
Still another matter to be resolved is the timing of Israel's full withdrawal of its forces from southern Lebanon.
On August 29, Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Israel would pull out once a "reasonable" number of the planned additional international forces are deployed. But he did not specify a figure.
Annan has said he hopes to see a total of 5,000 international troops in Lebanon soon and is reported to want Israeli troops to leave at that point.
The UN chief has said raising the number of troops to 5,000 from the current UN force of 2,000 soldiers already long in Lebanon could happen "in days or weeks."
But raising the troop level still further to the full planned force of 15,000 could take much longer. The UN hopes Muslim countries will contribute about half of the force, but final commitments have yet to be made. EU states have already promised the first half of the new forces.
Regional Cooperation
Meanwhile, Annan also called today on Israel's and Lebanon's neighbors to do their part to help implement the UN-imposed cease-fire.
"This is a resolution [1701] that Israel has accepted. The Lebanese government, including Hizballah, has accepted it," Annan said. "And we all have the responsibility to work to make sure that it is fully implemented."
Annan is due to go on from Israel and the Palestinian territories to Jordan, Syria, and, on September 2, Iran. Both Syria and Iran are major backers of Hizballah.
In Iran, the UN chief is also expected to talk about the Iranian nuclear crisis. He will arrive just two days after the expiration of the UN's August 31 deadline for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment.
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said on August 29 that Tehran cannot be prevented from pursuing its right to peaceful nuclear technology.
Iran has frequently said that right includes uranium enrichment -- a process that can be used to produce nuclear fuel or, at high levels of enrichment, material for nuclear bombs.
MISSION In cases in which international intervention in regional conflicts is deemed necessary, peacekeeping missions authorized by the UN Security Council provide legitimacy by demonstrating the commitment of the international community to address such crises.
MANDATE UN peacekeeping missions are prepared, managed, and directed by the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations. The unique mandates of peacekeeping missions falls under the authority of the UN's Security Council and General Assembly, and under the command of the UN secretary-general.
MONEY Funding for UN peacekeeping missions is provided by UN member states. All are legally obliged to pay a share under an established formula. The leading financial providers as of 2006 were: the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, China, and the Netherlands.
MORE All UN peacekeeping missions share the goals of alleviating human suffering and creating conditions for self-sustaining peace. Missions can consist of armed or unarmed military components, depending on their mandate, and various civilian tasks.
Military operations can include:
· Deploying to prevent the outbreak of conflict or the spillover of conflict across borders;
· Stabilizing conflict situations after a cease-fire in order to create an environment for the parties to reach a lasting peace agreement;
· Assisting in implementing comprehensive peace agreements;
· Leading states or territories through a transition to stable government, based on democratic principles, good governance, and economic development.
HISTORY There have been 60 peacekeeping operations since 1948. Fifteen peacekeeping missions were in operation in mid-2006, employing more than 60,000 troops, 7,000 police, and over 2,500 military observers. Peacekeeping operations in 2006 were supported by uniformed personnel provided by 109 countries.
(source: UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations)
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Olmert said there would be no relaxation of the blockade on Lebanon until international forces were in place to stop arms smuggling to Hizballah.
'No Partial Implementation'
The refusal highlights some of the difficulties Annan faces as he continues a regional tour aimed at smoothing conditions for the deployment of up to 13,000 more international troops to Lebanon.
But as Annan seeks to firm up cooperation from all regional players, many are putting their own demands first.
Annan stressed today that the cease-fire will not hold unless all groups implement in full UN Security Council Resolution 1701 that ended the Israel-Hizballah war on August 14.
"Resolution 1701 is a fixed menu," he said. "It's not a buffet where you choose and pick. We have to implement it in its entirety."
Prisoner Exchange Difficulties
Annan has also had little success so far in ending the immediate dispute between Israel and Hizballah that sparked their monthlong battle. That was the militia's capture of two Israeli soldiers.
So far, Hizballah has said it will give the prisoners up only in exchange for Lebanese and Palestinian militants held by Israel.
But Olmert today reiterated Israel's demand the two soldiers be released unconditionally.
"The most important aspect of implementing Resolution 1701 is the unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev," he said. "As long as this objective is not achieved, Resolution 1701 cannot be considered as fully implemented."
Withdrawal's Timing Discussed
Still another matter to be resolved is the timing of Israel's full withdrawal of its forces from southern Lebanon.
On August 29, Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Israel would pull out once a "reasonable" number of the planned additional international forces are deployed. But he did not specify a figure.
Annan has said he hopes to see a total of 5,000 international troops in Lebanon soon and is reported to want Israeli troops to leave at that point.
The UN chief has said raising the number of troops to 5,000 from the current UN force of 2,000 soldiers already long in Lebanon could happen "in days or weeks."
But raising the troop level still further to the full planned force of 15,000 could take much longer. The UN hopes Muslim countries will contribute about half of the force, but final commitments have yet to be made. EU states have already promised the first half of the new forces.
Regional Cooperation
Meanwhile, Annan also called today on Israel's and Lebanon's neighbors to do their part to help implement the UN-imposed cease-fire.
"This is a resolution [1701] that Israel has accepted. The Lebanese government, including Hizballah, has accepted it," Annan said. "And we all have the responsibility to work to make sure that it is fully implemented."
Annan is due to go on from Israel and the Palestinian territories to Jordan, Syria, and, on September 2, Iran. Both Syria and Iran are major backers of Hizballah.
In Iran, the UN chief is also expected to talk about the Iranian nuclear crisis. He will arrive just two days after the expiration of the UN's August 31 deadline for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment.
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said on August 29 that Tehran cannot be prevented from pursuing its right to peaceful nuclear technology.
Iran has frequently said that right includes uranium enrichment -- a process that can be used to produce nuclear fuel or, at high levels of enrichment, material for nuclear bombs.
UN Peacekeepers
UN Peacekeepers
MISSION In cases in which international intervention in regional conflicts is deemed necessary, peacekeeping missions authorized by the UN Security Council provide legitimacy by demonstrating the commitment of the international community to address such crises.
MANDATE UN peacekeeping missions are prepared, managed, and directed by the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations. The unique mandates of peacekeeping missions falls under the authority of the UN's Security Council and General Assembly, and under the command of the UN secretary-general.
MONEY Funding for UN peacekeeping missions is provided by UN member states. All are legally obliged to pay a share under an established formula. The leading financial providers as of 2006 were: the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, China, and the Netherlands.
MORE All UN peacekeeping missions share the goals of alleviating human suffering and creating conditions for self-sustaining peace. Missions can consist of armed or unarmed military components, depending on their mandate, and various civilian tasks.
Military operations can include:
· Deploying to prevent the outbreak of conflict or the spillover of conflict across borders;
· Stabilizing conflict situations after a cease-fire in order to create an environment for the parties to reach a lasting peace agreement;
· Assisting in implementing comprehensive peace agreements;
· Leading states or territories through a transition to stable government, based on democratic principles, good governance, and economic development.
HISTORY There have been 60 peacekeeping operations since 1948. Fifteen peacekeeping missions were in operation in mid-2006, employing more than 60,000 troops, 7,000 police, and over 2,500 military observers. Peacekeeping operations in 2006 were supported by uniformed personnel provided by 109 countries.
(source: UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations)
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