LEBANON'S FOREIGN MINISTER FAWZI SALLUKH SAID MONDAY THE NEW UN DRAFT RESOLUTION WHICH IS MEANT TO HELP LEBANON REGAIN SOVEREIGNTY OVER ITS TERRITORY SHOULD CONDEMN DAILY ISRAELI VIOLATIONS AND NOT INTERFERE IN SYRIAN-LEBANESE AFFAIRS, DPA REPORTED. "WE INSIST THAT THE ISRAELI VIOLATIONS BE CONDEMNED AND THAT THE TEXT WHICH WILL BE ADOPTED BY THE SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD ORDER THE JEWISH STATE TO HALT THESE VIOLATIONS," SALLUKH SAID IN A STATEMENT. "WE HAVE NOTED THAT THE PROPOSED DRAFT DO NOT MENTION THE ISRAELI VIOLATIONS OF LEBANON'S AIRSPACE DAILY, ILLEGAL DETENTION OF LEBANESE CITIZENS AS HOSTAGES, NO COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS' MAPS OF LAND MINES" PLANTED IN FORMER ISRAELI-OCCUPIED SOUTHERN LEBANON, HE SAID. SALLUKH MADE THE REMARKS AFTER FRANCE, THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN FORMALLY SUBMITTED ON FRIDAY A DRAFT RESOLUTION IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL TO ENSURE FULL COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1559. HE DRAFT PLACED EMPHASIS ON FULL SYRIAN COMPLIANCE WITH RESOLUTION 1559, MAINLY THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FORMAL DIPLOMATIC BILATERAL TIES WITH LEBANON AND A DEMARCATION OF COMMON BORDERS. SALLUKH SAID THE DRAFT ALSO FAILED TO DENOUNCE ISRAEL'S "CONTINUED OCCUPATION OF LEBANESE TERRITORIES," A CLEAR REFERENCE TO THE DISPUTED AREA OF SHEBAA FARMS. ISRAEL WITHDREW FROM SOUTHERN LEBANON IN MAY 2000, BUT ISRAELI TROOPS ARE STILL LOCATED IN SHEBAA. LEBANON SAYS SHEBAA IS LEBANESE TERRITORY WITH SYRIA'S CONSENT, WHILE ISRAEL SAYS IT IS SYRIAN TERRITORY CAPTURED BY THE JEWISH STATE IN THE 1967 MIDDLE EAST WAR. SALLUKH'S REMARKS CAME AS PRO-AND ANTI-SYRIAN LEBANESE OFFICIALS WERE LOCKED IN A SERIES OF ROUNDTABLE TALKS DUE TO RESUME ON TUESDAY. THE TALKS ARE MEANT TO DISCUSS CRUCIAL ISSUES SUCH AS THE DISARMING OF HEZBOLLAH AND FUTURE RELATIONS WITH NEIGHBOUR SYRIA. RELATIONS BETWEEN LEBANON AND SYRIA HAVE BEEN SEVERELY STRAINED SINCE THE FEBRUARY 14, 2005 ASSASSINATION OF FORMER LEBANESE PREMIER RAFIK HARIRI.
