Special report: Israel-Lebanon Conflicts   [Video ][Gallery]

Special report: Israel, Lebanon agree on ceasefire

    

The visiting UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (L)  has urged Israel to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (R) on Wednesday, August 30, 2006, but Olmert rejected the appeal.(Xinhua, file photos) Photo Gallery >>>

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhuanet)-- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday rejected the appeal of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan about lifting its air and sea blockade of Lebanon at a joint news conference.

    Olmert rebuffed Annan's call and said merely that the cease-fire deal, the U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, must be implemented in its entirety. "The international community must not divert its attention" until that happens, he said.

    "The (resolution) is a fixed buffet and everything will be implemented, including the lifting of the blockade, as part of the entire implementation of the different articles," Olmert said.

    Annan, in Jerusalem after visiting Lebanon, is trying to strengthen a two-week-old truce that ended a 34-day war between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

    "It (lifting blockade) is important not only because of the economic effect it is having on the country but it is also important to strengthen the democratic government of Lebanon with which Israel has repeatedly said it had no problems," Annan said.

    On Tuesday, after talks with Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz, Annan said he hoped soon to double the number of U.N. troops to 5,000 in southern Lebanon, "so that the Israelis can withdraw."

    Responding to this suggestion, Olmert indicated at the conference, "Israel will pull out of Lebanon once the resolution is implemented."

    Resolution 1701 on ending hostilities in Lebanon, calls for Israel's withdrawal and authorizes an increase of the existing UN force in Lebanon to 15,000 troops to help Lebanese troops take control of southern Lebanon as Israel withdraws. The resolution has been approved by both Israel and Lebanon.

    Annan will also hold talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni before traveling to the West Bank to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

    He will also travel to Syria and Iran later in the week, according to aides to Annan. Enditem

    (Agencies)