UN team in Lebanon calls for ceasefire
Team entrusted to negotiate truce between Israel, Lebanon arrives in Beirut, calls for end to hostilities on both sides
Vijay Nambiar, special political adviser for the UN secretary general, called for a ceasefire following talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.
He also called for "the release of the captured as part of a solution to this conflict," in a reference to Hizbullah's capture of two Israeli soldiers which triggered the Jewish state to launch a massive onslaught on the country.
Nambiar called for "the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure which must be protected."
The five-member mission, which arrived in Beirut earlier Sunday, also includes UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen. The delegation kicked off its mission in Cairo.
'Negotiation time has yet to come'
Earlier Sunday, Lebanese Information Minister Ghazi Aridi said after a cabinet meeting that Beirut was awaiting the arrival of the UN mission to discuss any possible ceasefire to stop the Israel offensive.
He said Lebanon had been informed by Italy that Israel had set two conditions -- the release of two soldiers captured by Hizbullah fighters last week and the withdrawal of the Shiite militia from its stronghold in southern Lebanon.
"The time for negotiations has not yet come," he said.
"We said that the issue will be carried out through the United Nations, so we are awaiting the UN envoys to hear their point of view, discuss with them, negotiate with them, and then the process will start," Aridi told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
Aridi claimed that Israel was "refusing to receive the UN team," but there was no confirmation for that report.
Italian mediation
He said Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi had called Siniora to tell him that Israeli premier Ehud Olmert had informed him of two conditions for a ceasefire.
Olmert has demanded the release of the two Israeli soldiers whose capture unleashed the latest crisis and the pullback of Hizbullah forces to the north of the Litani river which lies about 40 kilometers (24 miles) from the border.
"There is nothing official until now because the real negotiations have not started. We did not yet enter the phase of negotiations and so far we did not receive anything official at all," Aridi said.
'No plans to attack nuclear facilities'
Energy Minister Mohamad Fneish, who is also a senior Hizbullah official, told reporters that the group was ready to exchange the captured soldiers in return for the release of prisoners.
"Even though the enemy is now rejecting things, he may be forced to accept less than what he is now demanding because of the developments on the ground," he said.
Fneish also said Hizbullah would "not target nuclear installations" in Israel.
"The Resistance does not launch attacks against any target or installation unless it is a legitimate response."
