SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER JAN ELIASSON ON FRIDAY CRITICIZED THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL FOR FAILING TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION ON THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT, DPA REPORTED. "IT UNDERMINES THE AUTHORITY OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL," ELIASSON TOLD REPORTERS. "THE PARTIES COULD ALSO WRONGLY ASSUME THAT THE WORLD DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THIS CONFLICT. THEY (THE PARTIES) HAVE NOT LISTENED VERY ACTIVELY BUT IF THEY GET THE SIGNAL FROM ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING THE PERMANENT MEMBERS, THAT WOULD BE A SIGNAL THAT THE ESCALATION HAS TO STOP," HE ADDED. MEANWHILE, A CONVOY OF NORDIC AND OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONALS WAS DUE TO ARRIVE FRIDAY EVENING IN THE LEBANESE CAPITAL BEIRUT, SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS SAID. THE CONVOY LEFT SIDON IN SOUTHERN LEBANON EARLIER FRIDAY AND FERRIED SOME 400 PEOPLE, INCLUDING SOME 80 SWEDISH NATIONALS AND 160 DANISH NATIONALS, NORDIC FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS SAID. THE SWEDISH NATIONALS WERE SATURDAY DUE TO CONTINUE ON TO ALEPPO IN SYRIA WHERE THEY WOULD BE FLOWN BACK TO SWEDEN. EARLY FRIDAY, A FERRY WITH SOME 1,400 SWEDISH NATIONALS ARRIVED FROM LEBANON AT CYPRUS. AN ESTIMATED 6,800 SWEDISH NATIONALS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED FROM LEBANON.
