Annan Hopes Israel Will Lift Blockade Within 48 Hours
06 September 2006
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says he is hopeful that Israel will lift its blockade of Lebanon within two days.
Speaking after talks with Turkish officials Wednesday, Mr. Annan said he is working with the participants, meaning Israel, Lebanon and the expanded international peacekeeping force.
Israel says it will lift its air and sea blockade when the U.N. ceasefire resolution is fully implemented. Israel wants Lebanese and international troops to be patroling all of Lebanon's borders to prevent Hezbollah from rearming.
In southern Lebanon today, two Lebanese soldiers died as they tried to defuse an unexploded device left over from the war. The blast wounded a third soldier.
In other news, a British airline says it will break Israel's air blockade of Lebanon later today by flying directly into Beirut.
It is unclear how Israel will react to the flight.
The airline, BMED, is a partner of British Airways.
Two days ago, Qatar Airways became the first airline to fly directly into Beirut International Airport without an Israeli-ordered stop in Amman, Jordan.
Turkey is the last leg of Mr. Annan's mideast tour, aimed at shoring up the Israeli-Hezbollah ceasefire in Lebanon.
Turkey's parliament has agreed to send troops to an expanded U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
Turkey is the second predominately Muslim country, after Qatar, to contribute troops to the U.N. truce team.
In Lebanon, government troops moved into the southern town of Bint Jbeil on Tuesday. Bint Jbeil was the site of fierce fighting during Israel and Hezbollah's month-long war. Israel flattened the town with repeated air and artillery strikes.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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