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Lebanon, Israel Expected to Approve UN Cease-Fire Resolution
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?r=279&ctl=1374F29:3919ACA UN Security Council
unanimously adopted resolution Friday, calling situation in Lebanon a
threat to international peace and security





Security Council members at United Nations Headquarters in New York
voted to adopt a resolution calling for a cease fire between Israel
and Lebanon Friday, Aug. 11, 2006The Lebanese government is expected
to accept Saturday a U.N. cease-fire resolution aimed at ending
fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

The Cabinet meets Saturday in Beirut to consider the resolution.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to urge his Cabinet to
approve the measure when it meets Sunday.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted the resolution Friday,
calling the situation in Lebanon a threat to international peace and
security.

The resolution calls for a full cessation of hostilities before
authorizing an increase in the current U.N. peacekeeping force in
Lebanon to 15-thousand troops.

The U.N. Middle East envoy, Alvaro de Soto, says he expects fighting
to wind down over the next two days and the international force to
begin deploying in a week.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the council's failure to act
more quickly to end the bloodshed has badly shaken the world's faith
in the Security Council.

He also said only long-term solutions will ensure lasting peace.







Condoleezza Rice votes at UN Security CouncilU.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice said passage of the resolution has opened a path to
lasting peace between Lebanon and Israel and raised hopes for an end
to the suffering and violence of the past month. She also called on
Iran and Syria to respect the sovereignty of the Lebanese government
and the will of the international community.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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