In a television interview by the Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. aired on Friday, Rice urged Hizbullah to disarm in accordance with the ceasefire agreement drawn up at the culmination of the Israeli-Lebanese war this summer. Rice said that Hizbullah should decide if it wishes to be viewed as a terrorist group or as a legitimate political entity.
"If Hizbullah wants to be in politics... Hizbullah should be disarmed. You cannot have one foot in terror and the use of violence and the other foot in politics. It just doesn't work that way. Hizbullah has to decide whether it's going to maintain its terrorist wing and remain a terrorist organization or whether it's going to ... be part the political process," Rice stated.
In addition Rice called on Lebanese officials to put an end to Hizbullah's being a "state within a state."
"I'm counting on Lebanon to live up to its obligations," the Secretary said, "and I'm counting on Lebanon to want to evolve to a normal state… a normal state has an army and police that answer to the state, not to a state within a state."
Regarding concerns of possible Syrian attempts to gain control in Lebanon, Rice stated, "It's not any great secret that there are concerns about what Syria, which once occupied the country, might try and do through continuing contacts in the country. But I don't want accuse any one place. I just want to make very clear that the international community believes there should be no foreign intimidation of the Lebanese people."
European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana met on Saturday with top Lebanese officials, including Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora. Solana and Siniora discussed the implementation of the ceasefire (Security Council Resolution 1701), Israel's flights over Lebanon, the issue of the Shaba Farms, as well as the rehabilitation of the Lebanese government.
"I can tell you that regarding things that were not implemented, such as the Israeli violations, I come from Israel and I can confirm that I spoke to the prime minister and defense minister in Israel and seriously made it clear to both of them that this must be stopped and Resolution 1701 must be implemented by all sides,” Solana stated.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz maintained that Israel would continue the flights over Lebanon, explaining they are needed to block arms smuggling to Hizbullah’s Shiite forces. Peretz said, “the Lebanese government is falling short of carrying out its commitments under UN Security Council Resolution 1701."