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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Annan views Lebanon devastation | Annan views Lebanon devastation |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has seen first-hand the destruction wrought in southern Lebanon during the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. | |
| Mr Annan visited UN troops at the southern port of Naqoura before flying over scenes of devastation and stopping at the village of Markaba. | Mr Annan visited UN troops at the southern port of Naqoura before flying over scenes of devastation and stopping at the village of Markaba. |
| The UN chief will travel on to Israel, as he continues his regional tour to try to bolster the two-week old truce. | The UN chief will travel on to Israel, as he continues his regional tour to try to bolster the two-week old truce. |
| Earlier Mr Annan met Lebanese leaders to discuss the UN peacekeeping force. | Earlier Mr Annan met Lebanese leaders to discuss the UN peacekeeping force. |
| The force is to be expanded from 2,000 to 15,000 under the UN-backed ceasefire, which ended the fighting earlier this month. | The force is to be expanded from 2,000 to 15,000 under the UN-backed ceasefire, which ended the fighting earlier this month. |
| Mr Annan said he would urge the Israeli government to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon, imposed at the start of the conflict to stop arms reaching Hezbollah. | Mr Annan said he would urge the Israeli government to lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon, imposed at the start of the conflict to stop arms reaching Hezbollah. |
| He also called on Hezbollah to free two Israeli soldiers, whose capture on 12 July triggered the fighting. | He also called on Hezbollah to free two Israeli soldiers, whose capture on 12 July triggered the fighting. |
| Villages wrecked | Villages wrecked |
| Mr Annan flew by helicopter from Beirut to the UN peacekeepers' headquarters in Naqoura, in an area still occupied by Israeli troops and tanks. | Mr Annan flew by helicopter from Beirut to the UN peacekeepers' headquarters in Naqoura, in an area still occupied by Israeli troops and tanks. |
| UN TROOP PLEDGES France - leadership and 2,000 troopsItaly - 2,500-3,000 troopsBangladesh - two battalions (up to 2,000 troops)Malaysia - one battalionSpain - one mechanised battalionIndonesia - one battalion, an engineering companyNepal - one battalionDenmark - at least two shipsPoland - 500 troopsFinland - 250 troopsBelgium - 302 troops, later rising to 392Germany - maritime and border patrols but no combat troopsNorway - 100 soldiers Crisis in facts and figures Olmert orders probes There he reviewed an honour guard of UN troops on the lawn of the white-walled UN compound. | UN TROOP PLEDGES France - leadership and 2,000 troopsItaly - 2,500-3,000 troopsBangladesh - two battalions (up to 2,000 troops)Malaysia - one battalionSpain - one mechanised battalionIndonesia - one battalion, an engineering companyNepal - one battalionDenmark - at least two shipsPoland - 500 troopsFinland - 250 troopsBelgium - 302 troops, later rising to 392Germany - maritime and border patrols but no combat troopsNorway - 100 soldiers Crisis in facts and figures Olmert orders probes There he reviewed an honour guard of UN troops on the lawn of the white-walled UN compound. |
| After about two-and-a-half hours, Mr Annan set off on an airborne tour of some of the areas in southern Lebanon most heavily bombarded by Israel during the 34-day conflict. | After about two-and-a-half hours, Mr Annan set off on an airborne tour of some of the areas in southern Lebanon most heavily bombarded by Israel during the 34-day conflict. |
| Speaking in Markaba, Mr Annan said many issues remained unresolved and were becoming "serious irritants on both sides". | Speaking in Markaba, Mr Annan said many issues remained unresolved and were becoming "serious irritants on both sides". |
| He said these included the issue of the captured Israeli soldiers, prisoners held by Israel, Israel's blockade of Lebanon and the need to secure Lebanon's borders. | He said these included the issue of the captured Israeli soldiers, prisoners held by Israel, Israel's blockade of Lebanon and the need to secure Lebanon's borders. |
| The BBC's Jon Leyne in Naqoura says many southern Lebanese villages are in ruins and unexploded rockets, bombs and mines litter the ground. | The BBC's Jon Leyne in Naqoura says many southern Lebanese villages are in ruins and unexploded rockets, bombs and mines litter the ground. |
| Local people are reluctant to return to their homes near the border until the last Israelis have pulled out, our correspondent says. | Local people are reluctant to return to their homes near the border until the last Israelis have pulled out, our correspondent says. |
| Israel has said it will not withdraw until the expanded UN force is deployed alongside the Lebanese army in areas currently occupied by Hezbollah forces. | Israel has said it will not withdraw until the expanded UN force is deployed alongside the Lebanese army in areas currently occupied by Hezbollah forces. |
| EU states have pledged some 7,000 troops towards the force's 15,000-strong target. | EU states have pledged some 7,000 troops towards the force's 15,000-strong target. |
| On Monday, the Italian government approved sending 2,500 troops - the largest national contingent so far. | On Monday, the Italian government approved sending 2,500 troops - the largest national contingent so far. |
| The force - comprising engineers, marines, special forces and bomb disposal experts - set sail for Lebanon on Tuesday. | The force - comprising engineers, marines, special forces and bomb disposal experts - set sail for Lebanon on Tuesday. |
| Israeli inquiries | Israeli inquiries |
| Mr Annan is due to travel to Israel for talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, before continuing on to Iran and Syria, countries with close links to Hezbollah. | Mr Annan is due to travel to Israel for talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, before continuing on to Iran and Syria, countries with close links to Hezbollah. |
| Israel is looking for better guarantees that Hezbollah will not rearm and has said its blockade against Lebanon will remain in place until an arms embargo is implemented against the militant group. | Israel is looking for better guarantees that Hezbollah will not rearm and has said its blockade against Lebanon will remain in place until an arms embargo is implemented against the militant group. |
| Mr Olmert has announced that two governmental committees of inquiry will be set up into the handling of the conflict in Lebanon - one dealing with political matters, the other military affairs. | Mr Olmert has announced that two governmental committees of inquiry will be set up into the handling of the conflict in Lebanon - one dealing with political matters, the other military affairs. |
| This falls short of demands for an independent state commission which would have had the power to recommend that top officials step down, the BBC's Nick Thorpe in Jerusalem reports. | This falls short of demands for an independent state commission which would have had the power to recommend that top officials step down, the BBC's Nick Thorpe in Jerusalem reports. |
| Mr Olmert's critics are likely to accuse him of trying to dodge criticism, but he says there is no time for a full-blown investigation. | Mr Olmert's critics are likely to accuse him of trying to dodge criticism, but he says there is no time for a full-blown investigation. |
| Speaking in Haifa on Monday, Mr Olmert admitted to "failures" during the offensive, but defended his decision to launch the campaign. | Speaking in Haifa on Monday, Mr Olmert admitted to "failures" during the offensive, but defended his decision to launch the campaign. |