Russia to push Israel for truce

[Shammu]

Russia to push Israel for truce

MOSCOW (AP)
Lebanon’s parliamentary majority leader yesterday appealed to Russia to push Israel for an immediate cease-fire in its military offensive against Hizbollah.

“Above all I have come to Russia in order to solve the problem of achieving an immediate ceasefire,” Saad Hariri said before meeting with Russian Security Council head Igor Ivanov, who echoed the call.
“We have a complete mutual understanding on the issue of an immediate end to military action and commencing political dialogue on resolving the situation,” Ivanov said. “We are now, with our other partners at the UN Security Council, actively working to produce a corresponding resolution for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the deaths of completely innocent people.”

“Only an immediate ceasefire can create the terms for a political resolution of all questions in the region. We are demanding this and will demand it, in the United Nations and in talks with our partners,” Ivanov was quoted as saying by Interfax.

Britain and the United States, which like Russia are permanent members of the UN Security Council, have resisted pressure for a resolution demanding an immediate truce, arguing that it must come with simultaneous steps to ensure that Hizbollah cannot threaten Israel.

Hariri said he hoped the peace plan put forward by Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora would be included in a UN resolution and ´we hope that a ceasefire will be secured next week,” Interfax quoted him as saying.

Russia to push Israel for truce

[Shammu]

Protesters Burn U.S., Israeli Flags in Russian Caucasus City

Created: 04.08.2006 23:04 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 23:04 MSK, 5 hours 3 minutes ago

MosNews

A rally against UN position over the events in Lebanon has taken place in Vladikavkaz, the capital of the Russian Caucasus republic of North Ossetia.

According to Russian online daily Gazeta.Ru, the rally took place on Friday near the office of the North Caucasus office of the United Nations. Protesters burned U.S. and Israeli flags and chanted “hands off Lebanon!” One of the organizers, Timur Sageyev, said that the rally had been organized to express active protest against UN non-involvement in the events that are taking place in Lebanon and to draw the public attention to the problem.

UN officers did not contact the protesters. The total number of participants of the rally was reported at about 20 people. According to organizers, the protests had been sanctioned by the authorities.

Protesters Burn U.S., Israeli Flags in Russian Caucasus City

[Shammu]

Russia Insists on Immediate Ceasefire in Lebanon — Security Chief

Created: 04.08.2006 11:17 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 11:45 MSK, 16 hours 22 minutes ago

MosNews

An immediate ceasefire is a necessary prerequisite for a political settlement in the Middle East, Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov said at a meeting with leader of the Lebanese parliamentary majority Saad Hariri on Friday.

“Only an immediate ceasefire can create the conditions necessary for a political solution to all problems facing the region. We will continue to insist on it, both within the UN and at talks with our partners,” the Interfax news agency quoted the Russian official as saying.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mikhail Kamynin earlier denounced both Israel’s attack on Lebanon and its ongoing operations against the Palestinian territories. “The continuing destruction by Israel of civilian infrastructure in Lebanon and in Palestinian territory (and) the disproportionate use of force from which civilian populations suffer cannot be understood and justified,” he said.

Russia Insists on Immediate Ceasefire in Lebanon — Security Chief