2002-04-12 12:27 MSK - Russia joins pressure on Hizbollah
AMMAN - Russia has joined international powers in putting pressure on
Lebanon's Hizbollah guerrillas to stop attacking Israeli troops occupying the
Golan Heights, a senior U.S. state department official said on Thursday. The
official, travelling with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to the Middle
East, said Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov had been in touch with Syria and
Iran, Hizbollah's backers, to stop its attacks, which could further destabilise
the Levant. "They have been in touch with the Lebanese as well to encourage them
to influence Hizbollah to restrain the firing," the offical said. "They are
going to follow up... and we are going to follow up as well." Russia, which
maintains good relations with Syria and Iran, is keen to play a role in making
peace in the Middle East and supports Powell's mission to end the Israeli
attacks on Palestinian cities and forge a ceasefire. Ivanov backed a call on by
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan on Wednesday to end Hizbollah attacks on
Israeli positions, which have become daily events in retaliation for the Israeli
attacks on Palestinian cities. On Thursday Hizbollah again attacked Israeli
positions on the foothills of the Golan. Israel responded with artillery and
aerial bombardment of south Lebanese territory. Israel said Syria was risking a
regional war if it did not stop Hizbollah from attacking Israeli troops, who are
stationed beyond a line drawn by the United Nations after the Israeli withdrawal
from south Lebanon. Hizbollah, whose fighting core is comprised of few thousand
guerrillas, forced Israeli to withdraw from south Lebanon in 2000 after a
22-year occupation.
-Reuters
