U.S., France OK U.N. Mideast Truce Pact
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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MIDEAST_FIGHTING_UN?SITE=7219&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-08-05-10-40-13
Thiis just in.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The United States and France agreed Saturday on a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for a halt to the fighting between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, but would allow Israel to defend itself if attacked.
The draft, sent to the entire Security Council for consideration, "calls for a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations."
Israel, backed by the U.S., has insisted it must have the right to respond if Hezbollah launches missiles against it. France and many other nations had demanded an immediate halt to the fighting without conditions as a way to push the region back toward stability.
The agreement broke weeks of deadlock as the U.N. Security Council had failed to take any significant action to stop the violence, primarily because of opposition from the United States, Israel's closest ally.
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said the agreement will aid the peace process.
"What we're trying to do is lay in the foundation so that you can finally enact the provisions of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559," said Snow, speaking from Crawford, Texas, where President Bush was vacationing on his ranch.
Resolution 1559, passed in September 2004, called for the disarming of Hezbollah and the extension of Lebanese government authority throughout southern Lebanon.
Illustrating the difficulty ahead in getting the sides to agree to a cease-fire, Mohammed Fneish, a Hezbollah member of the Lebanese Cabinet, said after the announcement that his group would stop fighting, but only if Israel removed all its troops from Lebanon. The draft resolution makes no such demand.
"If they stay, we will not abide by it," he told reporters.
Israel has said it wants to continue fighting for up to two more weeks to seriously diminish Hezbollah's military capability.
The full 15-nation Security Council was to meet later Saturday to discuss the resolution, and it was likely to be adopted in the next couple of days, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said.
"We're prepared to continue to work tomorrow in order to make progress on the adoption of the resolution but we have reached agreement and we're now ready to proceed," Bolton said. "We're prepared to move as quickly as other members of the council want to move."
The resolution asks that Israel and Lebanon agree to a set of principles to achieve a long-term peace. One crucial element is an arms embargo that would block any entity in Lebanon except the Lebanese government from obtaining weapons from abroad.
That is presumably meant to block the sale or supply of arms to Hezbollah from Iran and Syria, believed to be the militia's main suppliers.
Other principles spelled out in the resolution include the disarmament of Hezbollah; the creation of a buffer zone from the U.N.-demarcated border between Israel and Lebanon up to the Litani River, which is about 20 miles north of the frontier; and the delineation of Lebanon's borders, especially in the disputed Chebaa Farms area.
The resolution would call for the current U.N. force in Lebanon, known by its acronym UNIFIL, to monitor the cessation in fighting. Once Israel and Lebanon have agreed to the series of principles, the Security Council would then authorize a new peacekeeping force for the region.
That force would "support the Lebanese armed forces and government in providing a secure environment and contribute to the implementation of a permanent cease-fire and a long-term solution."
That element was a victory for France. The U.S. and Israel had earlier insisted that there would be no deal without the immediate deployment of a new force, separate from UNIFIL.
In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair endorsed the U.S.-French draft resolution, calling it "an important first step in bringing this tragic crisis to an end."
"The priority now is to get the resolution adopted as soon as possible, and then to work for a permanent cease-fire and achieve the conditions in Lebanon and Israel which will prevent a recurrence," said Blair.
Israeli Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog said the agreement was an "important development," but Israel will not halt its war against Hezbollah for the time being.
"We have to study the details of this draft. There's a lot in there," Herzog told Israel TV's Channel One. "The Israeli military continues to act in the meantime, without letup, in many areas."
It was not immediately clear whether Herzog was speaking for the government. Officials in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said no formal reaction was expected Saturday.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was to arrive at Bush's ranch later Saturday, but would head back for a vote at the U.N.
"She will be prepared to go to New York," U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, meanwhile, met with Lebanese officials in Beirut Saturday trying to pave the way for ending hostilities. He talked with Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a prominent Shiite who has been negotiating on behalf of Hezbollah.
He said the talks focused on establishing a lasting political framework for Lebanon and an international force to support the Lebanese army in taking control of the south from Hezbollah.
The fighting has been raging since July 12 when Hezbollah guerrillas crossed into northern Israel and captured two Israeli soldiers.
Thiis just in.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The United States and France agreed Saturday on a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for a halt to the fighting between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, but would allow Israel to defend itself if attacked.
The draft, sent to the entire Security Council for consideration, "calls for a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations."
Israel, backed by the U.S., has insisted it must have the right to respond if Hezbollah launches missiles against it. France and many other nations had demanded an immediate halt to the fighting without conditions as a way to push the region back toward stability.
The agreement broke weeks of deadlock as the U.N. Security Council had failed to take any significant action to stop the violence, primarily because of opposition from the United States, Israel's closest ally.
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said the agreement will aid the peace process.
"What we're trying to do is lay in the foundation so that you can finally enact the provisions of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559," said Snow, speaking from Crawford, Texas, where President Bush was vacationing on his ranch.
Resolution 1559, passed in September 2004, called for the disarming of Hezbollah and the extension of Lebanese government authority throughout southern Lebanon.
Illustrating the difficulty ahead in getting the sides to agree to a cease-fire, Mohammed Fneish, a Hezbollah member of the Lebanese Cabinet, said after the announcement that his group would stop fighting, but only if Israel removed all its troops from Lebanon. The draft resolution makes no such demand.
"If they stay, we will not abide by it," he told reporters.
Israel has said it wants to continue fighting for up to two more weeks to seriously diminish Hezbollah's military capability.
The full 15-nation Security Council was to meet later Saturday to discuss the resolution, and it was likely to be adopted in the next couple of days, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said.
"We're prepared to continue to work tomorrow in order to make progress on the adoption of the resolution but we have reached agreement and we're now ready to proceed," Bolton said. "We're prepared to move as quickly as other members of the council want to move."
The resolution asks that Israel and Lebanon agree to a set of principles to achieve a long-term peace. One crucial element is an arms embargo that would block any entity in Lebanon except the Lebanese government from obtaining weapons from abroad.
That is presumably meant to block the sale or supply of arms to Hezbollah from Iran and Syria, believed to be the militia's main suppliers.
Other principles spelled out in the resolution include the disarmament of Hezbollah; the creation of a buffer zone from the U.N.-demarcated border between Israel and Lebanon up to the Litani River, which is about 20 miles north of the frontier; and the delineation of Lebanon's borders, especially in the disputed Chebaa Farms area.
The resolution would call for the current U.N. force in Lebanon, known by its acronym UNIFIL, to monitor the cessation in fighting. Once Israel and Lebanon have agreed to the series of principles, the Security Council would then authorize a new peacekeeping force for the region.
That force would "support the Lebanese armed forces and government in providing a secure environment and contribute to the implementation of a permanent cease-fire and a long-term solution."
That element was a victory for France. The U.S. and Israel had earlier insisted that there would be no deal without the immediate deployment of a new force, separate from UNIFIL.
In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair endorsed the U.S.-French draft resolution, calling it "an important first step in bringing this tragic crisis to an end."
"The priority now is to get the resolution adopted as soon as possible, and then to work for a permanent cease-fire and achieve the conditions in Lebanon and Israel which will prevent a recurrence," said Blair.
Israeli Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog said the agreement was an "important development," but Israel will not halt its war against Hezbollah for the time being.
"We have to study the details of this draft. There's a lot in there," Herzog told Israel TV's Channel One. "The Israeli military continues to act in the meantime, without letup, in many areas."
It was not immediately clear whether Herzog was speaking for the government. Officials in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said no formal reaction was expected Saturday.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was to arrive at Bush's ranch later Saturday, but would head back for a vote at the U.N.
"She will be prepared to go to New York," U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, meanwhile, met with Lebanese officials in Beirut Saturday trying to pave the way for ending hostilities. He talked with Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a prominent Shiite who has been negotiating on behalf of Hezbollah.
He said the talks focused on establishing a lasting political framework for Lebanon and an international force to support the Lebanese army in taking control of the south from Hezbollah.
The fighting has been raging since July 12 when Hezbollah guerrillas crossed into northern Israel and captured two Israeli soldiers.
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..the opinion about the UN as an solution is twisted around here and maybe even around the globe.
But when I heard the news yesterday, I screamed my lungs out.
to me, ONLY the UN can stop this crazy war, could stop war in general and be a coordinator of a peaceful world.
...so many countries are part of the circle, finally a common power.
but all just in theory, cause the US just does not stop to go for WAR AND FORCE... it just does not call out for peace and ACT like it or agree with resolutions and to the Genfer agreement...
..forwhatever reason... being Isreal closest ally, being just involved due to own interestes... I have no clue anymore. I just do not understand it anymore.
...but by France giving in, to me all hopes are gone by now for a peaceful solution coming right in time to prevent a complete war down in the middle east.
so by now I believe the US wants exactly this.
a war down there, where UN soldiers are involved and led by the US force...
...to get also Iran out of line, get the oil, get to stay the super power...
a sad day for our time and world.
hopeless you can call me now.
...the world is come undone, I like to change it everyday but change don't come at once, it's a wave, building before it breaks.
www.myspace.com/jensvad