Special report: Israel, Lebanon agree on ceasefire

　                          　Annan urges Israeli withdrawal

    BEIJING, Aug. 31 -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on Israel to end its air and sea blockade of Lebanon. He also appealed to Hezbollah to release the two Israeli soldiers captured last month. Annan arrived in Israel on Tuesday afternoon after visiting UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

    In Jerusalem, Annan met the families of two soldiers whose capture by Hezbollah on the 12th of July triggered the recent month-long conflict.

    He also met Israel's Defense Minister, Amir Peretz, to draw up plans for an Israeli withdrawal.

    Annan said: "We also discussed the deployment of the international forces and the need to get the first wave in very quickly so that the Israeli troops can withdraw from the south, and my hope was that with the French deployment moving forward, and the Italians beginning on Friday, that we should be able to double relatively quickly the 2,500 men we have on ground and move up to 5,000, so that the Israelis can withdraw, Israeli troops can come back home, and the Lebanese and the international forces can move into the area."

    Earlier, Annan urged Israel to lift the blockade that has isolated Lebanon since the war began, condemning it as humiliating for Lebanon and an infringement of the country's sovereignty.

    But Israel has said it will only lift the blockade if it's sure that border-forces can stop weapons entering Lebanon to re-arm Hezbollah fighters.

    Israel has also said it will only withdraw when a strong enough contingent of Lebanese and international troops is deployed on the border.

(Source: CCTV)