SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGED BY ISR"L'S DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM SOUTHERN LEBANON; URGES ALL PARTIES TO COOPERATE
Press Release
SG/SM/6513
SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGED BY ISRAEL'S DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM SOUTHERN LEBANON; URGES ALL PARTIES TO COOPERATE
19980402 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:The Secretary-General and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel spoke on the telephone last night after the formal decision by the Government of Israel to pull its forces out of southern Lebanon. The Secretary-General had raised the issue of Israel's compliance with Security Council resolution 425 (1978) in his meetings with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence, Yitzhak Mordechai, of Israel, as well as other concerned parties, during his recent visit to the region.
The Secretary-General is encouraged that a decision has finally been taken by the Government of Israel to withdraw from Lebanon. The implementation of this withdrawal will require discussions with all concerned in order to be fully effective. The Secretary-General urges all parties to cooperate in this process.
The Secretary-General expresses his satisfaction that a Security Council resolution adopted more than 20 years ago is at last on the verge of implementation.
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