DATE=7/28/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N / LEBANON (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-264883
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: United Nations troops are moving into southern
Lebanon along the border with Israel, more than two
months after Israel withdrew its forces from the area.
Lisa Bryant in Cairo reports the deployment is the
start of a long-term peacekeeping operation in the
region.
TEXT: U-N peacekeepers early Friday entered the
southern Lebanese villages of Yaroun and al-Manara.
They raised the U-N flag over al-Manara -- just across
the border from an Israeli settlement. A U-N official
said more troops would be arriving in other parts of
southern Lebanon.
The deployment came just one day after U-N envoy Terje
Roed-Larsen and Lebanese Prime Minister Salim Hoss
agreed there is only one more Israeli violation of the
border area. The officials said they expect the last
violation will be resolved shortly.
But a Lebanese army officer told the Reuters news
agency that Israel continues to violate the southern
Lebanese border zone. He said the U-N deployment
should not take place as long as those violations
continue.
Since Israel withdrew its troops from southern Lebanon
in late May, Lebanese officials have complained of
numerous violations. The lines drawn by U-N map
experts dividing the two countries has also been
questioned. The Lebanese government has refused to
send forces into southern Lebanon until it believes
that Israelis have totally withdrawn from the region.
But on Thursday, Lebanese Prime Minister Hoss said a
combined Lebanese security force of one-thousand army
troops and policemen would be sent to southern
Lebanese areas once occupied by Israel. The Lebanese
force would work alongside the U-N troops.
The Lebanese government has launched an appeal to the
international community to donate to the area's
recovery after years of Israeli occupation. Lebanese
officials estimate that it will cost about one-
billion-300-million U-S dollars to rebuild and develop
the area.
Reuters news agency reported the Lebanese government
also plans to seek compensation from Israel for
occupying the area.
The southern Lebanese region, with about 120-thousand
residents, has been devastated by the protracted
conflict with Israel. Many residents depend on Israel
for water, electricity, and health services. More
recently, some have turned to the Lebanese resistance
movement, Hezbollah, which moved into areas vacated by
the Israelis. (Signed)
NEB/LB/JWH/PW
28-Jul-2000 08:56 AM EDT (28-Jul-2000 1256 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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