The draft of the resolution calls for a "full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hizbullah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations."
The drafted resolution also called for the "unconditional release" of kidnapped IDF soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser and "encouraged the efforts aimed at settling the issue of the Lebanese prisoners detained in Israel, “ as well as "full implementation of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006) that require the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon... and an establishment of an international embargo on the sale or supply of arms and related material to Lebanon except as authorized by its government."
US Ambassador John Bolton and French President Jacques Chirac confirmed that a draft of the resolution had been agreed upon. The full Security Council is slated to meet to discuss the resolution, and Bolton was optimistic that it would be adopted in the coming days. "We're prepared to continue to work tomorrow in order to make progress on the adoption of the resolution but we have reached agreement and we're now ready to proceed. We're prepared to move as quickly as other members of the council want to move," said Bolton.
Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman explained that the resolution was subject to many more changes from Security Council members. "Many changes could yet be introduced. The Russians are not happy to have been neutralized to date," stated Gillerman.
In addition the draft calls for the UN force currently stationed in Lebanon, UNIFIL, to oversee the end of hostilities in the region and would ultimately mandate the creation of a new peacekeeping force to maintain a long term presence that would "support the Lebanese armed forces and government in providing a secure environment and contribute to the implementation of a permanent cease-fire and a long-term solution."
According to a U.S. State Department spokesman, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was meeting over the weekend with U.S. President George W. Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, is prepared to travel to New York for a UN Security Council vote.
The drafted resolution also called for the "unconditional release" of kidnapped IDF soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser and "encouraged the efforts aimed at settling the issue of the Lebanese prisoners detained in Israel, “ as well as "full implementation of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006) that require the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon... and an establishment of an international embargo on the sale or supply of arms and related material to Lebanon except as authorized by its government."
US Ambassador John Bolton and French President Jacques Chirac confirmed that a draft of the resolution had been agreed upon. The full Security Council is slated to meet to discuss the resolution, and Bolton was optimistic that it would be adopted in the coming days. "We're prepared to continue to work tomorrow in order to make progress on the adoption of the resolution but we have reached agreement and we're now ready to proceed. We're prepared to move as quickly as other members of the council want to move," said Bolton.
Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman explained that the resolution was subject to many more changes from Security Council members. "Many changes could yet be introduced. The Russians are not happy to have been neutralized to date," stated Gillerman.
In addition the draft calls for the UN force currently stationed in Lebanon, UNIFIL, to oversee the end of hostilities in the region and would ultimately mandate the creation of a new peacekeeping force to maintain a long term presence that would "support the Lebanese armed forces and government in providing a secure environment and contribute to the implementation of a permanent cease-fire and a long-term solution."
According to a U.S. State Department spokesman, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was meeting over the weekend with U.S. President George W. Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, is prepared to travel to New York for a UN Security Council vote.