{mosimage}UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Friday that he was happy with the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon, but made note that Security Council resolution 1559 requires the disarmament of militant groups.
Besides the Lebanese army, Hezbollah and Palestinians in refugee camps kept holds of their weapons.
Following the 1982 Sabara and Shatial Massacres, Lebanese authorities conceded to allowing Palestinian refugees to keep holding arms inside their camps for self defense.
Hezbollah, who enjoys control over the southern part of Lebanon, stood as the major Lebanese resistance group. The Islamic party managed to force an Israeli withdrawal after 25 years during which Israel occupied the southern parts of Lebanon.    ÂÂ
UN Security Council Resolution 1559 calls for Syrian troops and intelligence agents to leave Lebanon immediately and demands the disarming of militias.
Annan told reporters at the UN that the disarmament of militias would have to be carried out by the Lebanese government.
‘Hopefully the groups concerned will agree to disarm themselves and cooperate with the Lebanese authorities because it is not going to be an easy task if it has to be done by force or imposition,’ he said.
‘I would hope governments that have influence in the region and can help in the process would do so.’ He added.
Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah on Monday repeated the stance that the UN resolution did not apply because the group was not a militia but ‘a resistance movement).’
Annan’s envoy, Terje Roed-Larson earlier Friday gave a report to the Security Council on the implementation of Resolution 1559.
‘It was the Lebanese Civil war that led to the deployment of foreign forces on Lebanese territory. Now, a full and complete Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon would represent a significant and important step towards drawing a final line under the saddest chapter in Lebanese history,’ he said.
On Monday officials from UN Security Council members will discuss their reaction to Annan’s report on the implementation of Resolution 1559.
