Special report: Israel-Lebanon conflicts

                 Israel, Lebanon agree on ceasefire

    UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The enhanced UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has reached approximately 5,000 with the arrival of contingents from France, Italy and Spain, the UN said on Wednesday.

    "I am fully satisfied with the first phase of the deployment, notwithstanding some of the obstacles we had to deal with...UNIFIL now is at 5,000 strength," UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Alain Pellegrini said.

    "I look forward to inspecting all the new contingents as soon as they are ready to deal with the tasks ahead. This, of course, is dependent on acquiring appropriate premises and land for the newly arrived troops which has not been fully resolved yet," he added.

    The UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted last month, mandated strengthening the original UNIFIL that has been deployed in southern Lebanon to 15,000.

    In his latest report on the resolution, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said there was a "general understanding" that Israeli troops would completely withdraw once the UN Force reaches 5,000 troops.

    Moreover, the Lebanese army is also ready to deploy 15,000 troops in southern Lebanon. Enditem