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| Olmert firm on Lebanon blockade | Olmert firm on Lebanon blockade |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has rebuffed calls for a swift end to Israel's blockade of Lebanon. | Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has rebuffed calls for a swift end to Israel's blockade of Lebanon. |
| Speaking after talks with UN chief Kofi Annan, Mr Olmert said the seven-week siege would only be lifted once the ceasefire terms were fully implemented. | Speaking after talks with UN chief Kofi Annan, Mr Olmert said the seven-week siege would only be lifted once the ceasefire terms were fully implemented. |
| The UN chief met Mr Olmert in Jerusalem after visiting Lebanon as part of a regional tour to bolster the truce between Israel and Hezbollah. | The UN chief met Mr Olmert in Jerusalem after visiting Lebanon as part of a regional tour to bolster the truce between Israel and Hezbollah. |
| Talks have also focused on the deployment of UN troops in Lebanon. | Talks have also focused on the deployment of UN troops in Lebanon. |
| Mr Annan said he hoped Israel would withdraw from southern Lebanon once 5,000 UN peacekeepers were on the ground "in the coming days and weeks". | |
| The UN resolution which led to the 14 August ceasefire calls for a 15,000-strong force - significantly larger than its current size of about 2,500. | The UN resolution which led to the 14 August ceasefire calls for a 15,000-strong force - significantly larger than its current size of about 2,500. |
| 'Fixed buffet' | 'Fixed buffet' |
| The BBC's Jill McGivering, in Jerusalem, said Mr Annan and Mr Olmert emerged from their meeting with little sign of the gap between them having narrowed. | The BBC's Jill McGivering, in Jerusalem, said Mr Annan and Mr Olmert emerged from their meeting with little sign of the gap between them having narrowed. |
| 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 UN Resolution 1701 Mr Annan said the blockade should be lifted to help Lebanon recover from the month-long conflict. | 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 UN Resolution 1701 Mr Annan said the blockade should be lifted to help Lebanon recover from the month-long conflict. |
| But Mr Olmert said only that Israel would pull out of the Lebanon once UN resolution 1701 was implemented. | But Mr Olmert said only that Israel would pull out of the Lebanon once UN resolution 1701 was implemented. |
| "[The resolution] is not a buffet where you pick up one item and leave others," he said. | "[The resolution] is not a buffet where you pick up one item and leave others," he said. |
| "So far as we're concerned we entirely accept this, this is a fixed buffet and everything will be implemented including the lifting of the blockade as part of an entire implementation of the different articles." | "So far as we're concerned we entirely accept this, this is a fixed buffet and everything will be implemented including the lifting of the blockade as part of an entire implementation of the different articles." |
| Mr Olmert said unless two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah on 12 July were freed, the UN resolution "cannot be considered as fully implemented". | Mr Olmert said unless two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah on 12 July were freed, the UN resolution "cannot be considered as fully implemented". |
| Among other measures, the resolution calls for the deployment of Unifil [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] and Lebanese army forces in the south, as well as the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon. | Among other measures, the resolution calls for the deployment of Unifil [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] and Lebanese army forces in the south, as well as the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon. |
| Lebanon will be the last Arab country that could sign a peace agreement with Israel Fouad SinioraLebanese Prime Minister | |
| Our correspondent says that although the relationship between Israel and the UN has been chequered, this time they are committed to the same goals - a secure, stable Lebanon. | |
| But finding agreement along the way is not proving easy, our correspondent says. | But finding agreement along the way is not proving easy, our correspondent says. |
| Mr Olmert said he hoped the ceasefire would ultimately lead to a peace deal between Israel and Lebanon. | Mr Olmert said he hoped the ceasefire would ultimately lead to a peace deal between Israel and Lebanon. |
| But Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora all but ruled out relations between the two countries. | But Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora all but ruled out relations between the two countries. |
| "Lebanon will be the last Arab country that could sign a peace agreement with Israel," he said. | "Lebanon will be the last Arab country that could sign a peace agreement with Israel," he said. |
| Mr Siniora, on his way to a reconstruction conference in Sweden, said his government would pay $33,000 in compensation to families whose homes - numbering 79,000 - were destroyed in the conflict. | |
| Captives call | Captives call |
| Mr Annan also appealed for the "unambiguous and unconditional release" of the two Israeli soldiers whose capture sparked the Israeli offensive. | Mr Annan also appealed for the "unambiguous and unconditional release" of the two Israeli soldiers whose capture sparked the Israeli offensive. |
| Mr Annan said he discussed their fate with a Hezbollah MP in Lebanon on Tuesday. | Mr Annan said he discussed their fate with a Hezbollah MP in Lebanon on Tuesday. |
| "I believe they are alive," he said. | "I believe they are alive," he said. |
| Mr Annan has now flown to the West Bank for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. | Mr Annan has now flown to the West Bank for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. |
| He will then travel to Iran and Syria, countries with close links to Hezbollah. | He will then travel to Iran and Syria, countries with close links to Hezbollah. |