U.N. CHIEF BEGINS MIDEAST TOUR WITH LEBANON VISIT
Zeina Karam

AP Worldstream
Aug 28, 2006

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday demanded that Hezbollah
release two captured Israeli soldiers to the international Red Cross,
pressing both sides to fulfill their commitments to solidify the
two-week-old cease-fire in Lebanon.

Annan launched a major, 11-day diplomatic push to turn the truce
into what he called a "long-term peace for Lebanon." He said Israel
and Hezbollah could not "choose and pick" parts of a U.N. cease-fire
resolution to implement.

The U.N. chief met with a Hezbollah official in Beirut _ a sign that
he is taking his effort directly to some of the parties that the
United States has shunned. Annan is also expected to visit Hezbollah’s
patrons, Iran and Syria, in his tour, as well as Israel.

Two key steps loom large in pushing forward the cease-fire. One
is arranging the release of two Israeli soldiers whose capture by
Hezbollah sparked Israel’s 34-day onslaught on Lebanon.

The other is putting in place an international force to help the
Lebanese army enforce the truce in the south and ensure there are no
open signs of Hezbollah weapons in the area.

Annan said U.N. resolution 1701, which set out the terms of the
cease-fire, "a fixed menu."

"It’s not a buffet … It’s not an a la carte menu where you choose
and pick," he said. "Without the full implementation of resolution
1701, I fear the risk is great for renewal of hostilities."

The U.N. chief said he was renewing his "call for the abducted soldiers
to be free," and urged Hezbollah to transfer them to the Lebanese
government or a third party under the auspices of the international
Red Cross.

He also urged Israel to lift its air and sea blockade on Lebanon. "I’m
working with them and a number of international partners to see to
it that this is done," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said the blockade will remain
until the international force takes up positions along Lebanon’s
borders and entry points to prevent the entry of weapons to Hezbollah.

"Until then, Israel must take the proper steps to prevent this
smuggling," said David Baker, an official in the prime minister’s
office.

Israeli diplomatic officials said the issue of the blockade would be
discussed during Annan’s visit to Israel, which begins Tuesday.

Later, Hezbollah supporters booed Annan as he toured southern Beirut,
a stronghold for the Shiite guerrilla movement that was heavily
bombarded during the Israeli offensive.

"We have a chance now to have a long-term cease-fire and a long-term
peace (in Lebanon), and we all need to work together … This is the
purpose of my visit here," he said.

Turkey’s Cabinet decided Monday to send troops to Lebanon as part
of the expanded United Nations force in the south. If its parliament
approves, Turkey would become the only Muslim country with relations
with Israel that has proposed sending peacekeepers.

Italy also approved sending 2,500 troops to serve in the south
Lebanon force.

Annan met separately Monday with Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who serves as Hezbollah’s de facto
negotiator.

"He (Berri) has assured me of the determination of the government
and people of Lebanon to implement that resolution faithfully and
the expectations that the Israeli government will do the same,"
he told reporters.

Annan also met with Mohammed Fneish, a Hezbollah member of Saniora’s
Cabinet. Details of the discussions were not immediately available,

Saniora said he talked with Annan about the status of the two Israeli
soldiers, snatched by Hezbollah July 12, but provided no details of
their discussion. Israel said that a resolution to the conflict must
include the soldiers’ release.

Annan’s visit came amid signs of behind-the-scenes maneuvering
to arrange a prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah to win the
release of the soldiers and Arabs and Lebanese held in Israeli prisons
. Israel has insisted it will not negotiate, but it has arranged such
swaps in the past.

Israel’s foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, said that unless the issue
of the two soldiers was resolved, "the whole thing is of little
significance."

"Our sovereignty has been infringed and if this resolution does not
make that good, then we still have this problem," she said in Germany.

Livni’s talks in Germany included discussion of efforts to get
the soldiers released, German Deputy Foreign Minister Gernot Erler
said. Germany has mediated past prisoner exchanges between Hezbollah
and Israel,

"It is well known that Germany has possibilities … to help free
these captured and kidnapped Israeli soldiers," Erler said.

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said in a TV interview aired
Sunday that Italy and the United Nations were involved in "contacts"
to mediate a prisoner swap, for Lebanese and Arab citizens jailed in
Israel. He said Italy and the U.N. were involved, but did not specify
whether they had contacted Hezbollah directly.

The cleric also said there had been "some contacts" to arrange a
meeting between him and Annan, but that it was unlikely for security
reasons. The U.N.

chief announced no such plans.

Turkey’s commitment to send troops boosted the international force. The
United States, the European Union and Israel have pressed Turkey _
the only Muslim member of NATO, with close ties to both Israel and
Arab countries _ to send peacekeepers.

But opposition has been mounting inside the country. President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer, who hold a ceremonial post but wields considerable
influence in the country, came out strongly against the deployment
on Friday saying it was not Turkey’s "responsibility to protect the
interests of other countries."

But Turkey ruled Lebanon for some 400 years during the Ottoman Empire
and many Turkish officials want their country to have a say in an
area that they regard as their country’s backyard.

In Lebanon, the spiritual leader of the Armenian diaspora, Catholicos
Aram I, released a statement calling Turkish participation in a
peacekeeping mission "morally unacceptable."

Armenians want modern Turkey to recognize atrocities committed by
its Ottoman predecessors. They estimate 1.5 million Armenians died
in massacres or forced marches there.

The cease-fire began on Aug. 14, based on a U.N. resolution that
calls for deployment of 15,000 peacekeepers in southern Lebanon and
an equal number of Lebanese troops to patrol the border region when
Israel withdraws.

Italy’s 2,500 troops are the largest contingent promised so far to
the force. A naval task force with some 1,000 troops could set sail
on Tuesday and reach Lebanon by Friday, the Defense Ministry said.