The China Mail - US envoy says Israel's turn to 'comply' as Lebanon moves to disarm Hezbollah

Under the November truce agreement, weapons in Lebanon were to be restricted to the state and Israel was to fully withdraw its troops from the country, although it has kept forces at five border points it deems strategic.

"I think the Lebanese government has done their part. They've taken the first step. Now what we need is Israel to comply," Barrack said following a meeting in Beirut with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Asked by reporters about whether he expected to see Israel fully withdraw from Lebanese territory, Barrack said that "that's exactly the next step" needed.

To the US diplomat, "the next step is we need participation on the part of Israel, and we need an economic plan for prosperity, restoration and renovation" in Lebanon, weighed down by dire political and economic crises in recent years.

Barrack said Washington was "in the process of now discussing with Israel what their position is", adding that "in the next few weeks you're going to see progress on all sides."

"It means a better life for the people... and at least the beginning of a roadway to a different kind of dialogue" in the region, he said.

The US diplomat's visit comes less than two weeks after Lebanon's cabinet tasked the army with developing a plan to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah by the end of the year -- an unprecedented step since civil war factions gave up their weapons decades ago.

A second cabinet meeting on August 7 tackled a US proposal that includes a timetable for Hezbollah's disarmament, with Washington pressing Lebanon to take action on the matter.

The cabinet endorsed the introduction of the US text, which lists 11 objectives including "ensuring the sustainability" of the November ceasefire agreement with Israel, and "the gradual end of the armed presence of all non-governmental entities, including Hezbollah, in all Lebanese territory".

Israel routinely carries out air strikes in Lebanon despite the ceasefire, and has signalled it would not hesitate to launch destructive military operations if Beirut failed to disarm Hezbollah.

Barrack on Monday stressed that "dealing with Hezbollah, as we've always said, is a Lebanese process".

K.Lam--ThChM