UN's Ban urges progress on kidnapped soldiers

The UN chief on Friday expressed disappointment that there has been no progress toward the release of two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah, calling for the full implementation of a UN Security Council resolution that ended last summer's war between the Shiite group and Israel.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also urged rival Lebanese leaders to engage in dialogue as the only way to end a deepening political crisis and to approve an international court to try suspects in the 2005

assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a divisive issue here.

"I impressed on them (Lebanese officials) the need to have some progress on the unresolved prisoners issue," Ban said at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. "I am disappointed that there has not been proof of life of the two Israeli soldiers. This is a humanitarian

matter," he added.

Hizbullah has not provided any information about the conditions of the two Israeli soldiers seized in a

cross-border raid on July 12, triggering a 34-day war that ended with an Aug. 14 ceasefire.

Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah has insisted the soldiers would be released only through a prisoner exchange with Israel.

Ban met separately Friday with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a major figure in the opposition, and with Saniora, who is backed by the parliamentary majority, as well as Hizbullah legislator Mohammed Fneish.

"We are waiting to see what (Ban) has for us. From our side we will raise the issue of Israel's daily violations of Lebanese air space, Israel's continued occupation of our land and our commitment to international resolutions compared to Israel's flaunting of these resolutions," Fneish told Lebanon's English-language newspaper, the Daily Star.

Fneish added that if internal Lebanese matters were raised during the meeting, he would convey Hizbullah's position on the tribunal, which he said is the position of the Lebanese opposition, the Star added.

Tighter border monitoring

He also met Lebanese security chiefs to discuss ways of enhancing the monitoring capabilities of the Lebanese army along the Syria-Lebanon border.

"Ensuring border security alongside the Syria and Lebanon border is also very important. There are allegations, information that the arms embargo is not being implemented," he said.

Siniora, who is opposed to Hizbullah and Syrian influence, said the Lebanese government was trying to improve its monitoring capabilities but stressed that "not one single case of arms smuggling across the border" with Syria has been recorded.

Ban noted an increase of Israeli military overflights of its northern neighbor in February and early March.

UN Resolution 1701 calls for a halt in arms shipments to Hizbullah, and demands the "unconditional release" of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, the two Israeli soldiers held by Hizbullah.

The resolution also provided for the deployment of a reinforced UN peacekeeping force, now numbering close to 13,000. The force patrols a weapons-free zone along the border with Israel alongside thousands of Lebanese troops.

Ban to visit UN troops in south Lebanon

The UN chief arrived Thursday in Beirut from Saudi Arabia, where he attended an Arab summit. His Mideast tour has already taken him to Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian territories. He visits UN Peacekeepers in southern Lebanon Saturday before returning to New York.

The US-backed Siniora government has been locked in a bitter dispute with the Hizbullah-led opposition.

The opposition is demanding a national unity government that would give it a veto-wielding share in Cabinet and has been holding protests and an open sit-in in downtown Beirut since Dec. 1 to pressure Siniora into resigning.

Saniora has staunchly refused, accusing the opposition of staging a coup upon orders from Iran and Syria, Hizbullah's main patrons. Nine people have died in sectarian street violence which erupted on two occasions since December.

Ban encouraged Lebanese leaders to work to end the political standoff, saying "tpath of dialogue and

compromise has to be the way out of this impasse."

While stressing his commitment to the formation of the Hariri tribunal "as soon as possible," he said the

Lebanese should reach consensus on this issue.

"I urged the parties to find a quick solution to this issue while respecting Lebanon's constitutional

procedures," he said.

An agreement between Lebanon and the United Nations has been stalled in parliament amid sharp divisions between the government and the opposition.

Anti-Syrian politicians have blamed Syria for a massive truck bombing that killed Hariri and 22 other people in February 2005 and for a string of other bomb attacks that targeted anti-Syrian figures. Syria has denied involvement in the attacks.