UN chief calls for improved security in Lebanon, disarmament of Hizbullah

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday he was encouraged by the positive developments in relations between Lebanon and Syria, but called on the two countries to take further steps to improve security along the border. He also warned that Lebanon will not be a fully sovereign state until Hizbullah, and other militia groups are disbanded. The secretary-general's six-month report to the UN Security Council, obtained by The Associated Press, focused on the country's progress in holding presidential elections, but underscored the immediate danger of armed groups. "I applaud the historical steps that have been taken so far by Presidents Suleiman and Al-Assad," he said. "For the first time since their independence, the two neighboring states are establishing diplomatic relations."