Livni: Syria must respect Lebanon's sovereignty

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Friday that IDF forces would not leave southern Lebanon until the multinational force and the Lebanese army were deployed in the area. In response to Syria's opposition to the deployment of international forces on the Lebanon-Syria border, Livni also said that Syria must respect Lebanon's sovereignty and an arms embargo imposed on Hizbullah guerrillas. "It's about time that Syria give Lebanon the freedom and ability to be an independent and sovereign state," she said in a meeting with her Greek counterpart, Dora Bakoyannis. "We expect, and I believe the entire international community expects, the Syrian government to respect the decision of the international community." Livni said she assumes Assad is unhappy with the cease-fire deal. "So I can imagine that the Syrian president is not in love with Resolution 1701," she said. "I can understand that he is not in love, especially with the decision of an arms embargo, but there is a chance to change the situation in Lebanon."