June Sunday 11-2000:

Hizbullah SG calls for preserving the victory…(1)

Hizbullah Secretary General his Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who had apologized for not being able to receive all the Lebanese who want to congratulate him on the victory and the liberation of south Lebanon from the "Israeli" occupation and had promised to visit the Lebanese in their areas and towns started fulfilling his promise.

Yesterday's meeting was at the shrine of Hizbullah's former Secretary General his Eminence Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi in Nabi Sheet in the Beqaa, which "has always been faithful to the Resistance".

We are all meeting under the wings of the Master of the Resistance Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi, near his honorable shrine, to talk about life and to hold victory celebrations, also to be honored by seeing the faces of the men, women, and young men who have embraced this Resistance and participated in the movement that led to the great divine victory, Sayyed Nasrallah said to tens of thousands of people who gathered to meet him at the rally which was also attended by Hizbullah leaders, Beqaa MPs, the Faithfulness to the Resistance (FTR) bloc members, politicians, party, union, social, and municipal figures.

"This is not a mere military victory and a liberation of the land which was occupied; it is not only a political achievement. It is a divine historic strategic victory that will change a lot of the equations and regulations in the region, one that we all, the state, the Resistance and the people, need to preserve."

"In the victory ceremony we say the state needs to do justice to this area. In the past, they used to view the Beqaa and the Baalback-Hermel area as areas outside the state and outside Lebanon. However, this area has proven, throughout the past years and through its presence in the Resistance, that it has been in the heart of Lebanon and deep inside Lebanon, in the heart of the historic national responsibility. Therefore, what we all look forward to see is that the state shoulder its responsibilities in the area at the development, reconstruction, living, and economic levels."

"Lebanon remains a country under "Israeli" threat. Part of its land is still occupied, and it still has prisoners and hostages held in Israel, which has designs on Lebanon," said Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

"We need the support and protection of Syria; we need to consecrate the policy of a united Lebanese-Syrian destiny," he added.

"When some people raise issues linked to disarming the resistance and deploying the military in the liberated areas, they must not forget that Lebanon remains encircled by threats," said Sayyed Nasrallah.

"The state must remain the state and the resistance the resistance. We won because the resistance doesn't play the role of the state and isn't part of it," he said. That situation should continue, he added.

Lebanon had to know how to preserve the victory won "not only by the resistance but by Lebanese people of all religions."

Situation in the region discussed by Iran and UN…(2)
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan held telephone talks Friday with Iranian President Mohammed Khatami on developments in south Lebanon since the "Israeli" occupation forces' withdrawal last month, Iranian television said.

President Khatami expressed hope that real stability and security would prevail in south Lebanon and throughout the region, the television added.

Khatami underlined "Iran's support" to the efforts made by the UN, specifically by its secretary general.

Annan said that a UN force in Lebanon would oversee the complete pullout of "Israeli" troops from southern Lebanon.

He also renewed his invitation to President Khatami for his participation at the world summit meeting at the United Nations for the 2000.

Annan plans to visit the Middle East next week, if the "Israeli" occupation forces' withdrawal from southern Lebanon is verified.

According to UN sources, Annan has received an invitation to visit several countries.

The trip that will include seven countries will focus on the situation in the region following the occupation forces' retreat from south Lebanon.

The countries that Annan plans to visit are Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Jordan and the "Israeli" entity.

Such a trip would depend on the United Nations verifying "Israel's" retreat from the occupied zone of southern Lebanon, according to a diplomatic source.

Footnotes:

1-        Manar TV, 10-6-2000.