From: Tede Rod-Larsen To: "'[email protected]"' <[email protected]> Subject: Fw: Nahamet Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:21:37 +0000 From: Nejib Friji To: Fabrice Aidan Cc: Terje Rod-Larsen Sent: Sun Apr 24 05:32:30 2011 Subject: Nahamet Hizbullah Slams Ban's 'Unjust' Remarks, Vows to Continue Protecting Lebanon An-Nahar Friday 22 Aprile Hizbullah on Thursday hit back at U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon over statements contained in his annual report on the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559. "It is not something new for the U.N. secretary general to take unjust and unfair stances in his analysis of the situation in Lebanon, especially in terms of holding Hizbullah responsible for all the problems in Lebanon," the party said in a communiqué. "This is the nature of the mission assigned to him by the U.S. administration and some Western governments, which he is carrying out very precisely instead of performing his role ... in achieving security and peace in the world." Ban on Wednesday called on Syria to help Lebanon in transforming Hizbullah from an "armed militia" into a political party. "The existence and activities of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias continue to pose a threat to the stability of the country and the region," read Ban's report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559, which was adopted in 2004 and calls for "the disbanding and disarmament" of all factions in Lebanon. Hizbullah argues that its powerful arsenal of weapons is necessary to deter Israel. The armed party has repeatedly warned Lebanese leaders that its arms are not open to discussion. Hizbullah fought a month-long war with Israel in 2006 during which it fired more than 4,000 rockets on the Jewish state. Israel estimates that Hizbullah has since stockpiled more than 40,000 rockets, some of which could reach major Israeli population centers. Palestinian factions inside refugee camps across the country, which are off-limits to the