Israeli FM, U.S. Ambassador Discuss Israeli PulloutIsrael's troop withdrawal from south Lebanon has been carried out in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, said Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy Tuesday.Talking to reporters after his meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk in which the two discussed Israel's pullout from south Lebanon, Levy said Israel has close contacts with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on this issue and the two sides had coordinated over the withdrawal. Israel welcomes the U.N. decision to send peacekeeping forces into vacated areas in south Lebanon, but Israel also has the capability to defend its northern territory after the pullout, Levy added. Levy said Israel's redeployment from south Lebanon early Tuesday has put Israel in a better position to face the changes of situation in south Lebanon. Israel will strike sharply at any targets in Lebanon if it was attacked during or after the withdrawal, he warned. Israel has informed the Syrian and Lebanese governments about this policy through certain channels and it hopes that the two governments understand this, Levy said. The Syrian government has the responsibility to rein in Lebanese military groups such as Hezbollah to prevent them from taking any military actions against Israel, Levy said. He said that Israel will provide all kinds of assistance to the South Lebanon Army (SLA) militiamen and their families who choose to enter Israel from south Lebanon. Reports from northern Israel said that around 1,600 SLA members and their family members have already crossed the borders into northern Israel till Tuesday. The pro-Israeli militia has a total of 2,500 members and over 10,000 family members. Indyk reportedly told Levy during the meeting that the United States fully supports Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon. The U.S. also urged Syria to take measures to help the Lebanese government implement the U.N. resolution regarding Israel's pullout, he said. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has informed the Syrian government of the Israeli withdrawal and warned that Syria should bear the consequence of any further attacks against Israel by Lebanese groups during or after the pullout, Indyk said. Israeli troops evacuated from the Bint Jebeil outpost in the central sector of the security zone early Tuesday, marking the beginning of a full-scale troop withdrawal from south Lebanon. Prime Minister Ehud Barak said Tuesday that Israel would complete the troop withdrawal within the next few days, more than a month ahead of the initially scheduled July 7 deadline. |
| Please visit People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |