UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Wednesday the recent conflict in Lebanon had been a "wake-up" call that highlights the need for a wider Middle East peace settlement.

    "Throughout my visit almost every leader I met felt that Lebanon was a wake-up call and we should really focus on stabilizing the situation ... and the relations between Lebanon and Israel, but not stop there, build on from there to deal with other conflicts in the region: in Palestine, the Golan Heights," he told a news conference held here.

    Annan, who last week returned from a two-week trip to the region that included stops in Lebanon, Israel, Syria and elsewhere, also reiterated his belief that these countries are fully supporting Security Council Resolution 1701 that ended the month of fighting.

    "I was really encouraged by the seriousness with which governments are pressing ahead with implementation (of the resolution). In both Lebanon and Israel I left convinced that the governments are determined to implement the resolution," he said, noting that the "ceasefire has held and is holding." Enditem