UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen departed Beirut for Israel Sunday after meetings with Lebanese authorities on continuing Israeli encroachments onto Lebanese territory, United Nations spokesman Nagib Friji said.
On his way, Roed-Larsen will stop off briefly at Naqoura, Lebanon to meet with the commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), General Seth Kofi Obeng, Friji said.
In Israel, Roed-Larsen is to take up with authorities their need to eliminate the remaining nine encroachments before UNIFIL troops can be deployed along the border with Lebanon.
Israeli troops withdrew from southern Lebanon on May 24 after a 22-year occupation, but the Lebanese government has refused to deploy its own troops or allow UNIFIL to deploy in the region until it is satisfied that there are no further Israeli troops on Lebanese soil.
Roed-Larsen reaffirmed on Friday that there would be no UNIFIL deployment until the Israeli violations end.
UN Security Council Resolution 425, adopted in 1978, envisages the stationing of UN peacekeeping troops in southern Lebanon once Israel has completely withdrawn -- BEIRUT (AFP)
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