Israeli leader says trouble in government will not affect peace process

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, left, speaks at a news conference in Jerusalem with Barak on Wednesday

Annan: Lebanon to send troops to border area

June 21, 2000
Web posted at: 5:29 p.m. EDT (2129 GMT)

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said on Wednesday that the deepening crisis in his government will not derail Israel's attempts at peace.

"There is no place for concern," Barak said during a news conference following his meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. "We are determined to move forward on the peace plan, on the Syrian track and others."

Four ministers from the ultra-orthodox Shas Party have turned in their resignations, effective Thursday. Shas' departure would leave Barak with a minority in the Israeli Knesset.

AUDIO U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan discusses the Middle East peace process 2MB/60 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak comments on the U.N.'s role in ensuring stability in the Middle East 4.5MB/55 sec. AIFF or WAV sound     ALSO Israeli left-wing party to drop out of government to save it     MESSAGE BOARDS Mideast peace

Barak met with Annan on Wednesday as the U.N. chief trekked across the Middle East to supervise the deployment of a U.N. peacekeeping force that has been waiting for nearly two decades to move into south Lebanon, occupied until recently by Israeli troops as a so-called "security zone."

Last week, Annan certified the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, a process that started May 24, but heard complaints during meetings with Lebanese and Hezbollah leaders that Israel was violating the U.N.-drawn border.

"Obviously (Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah) was concerned about the alleged violations that we are looking into," Annan said during the Jerusalem news conference. "We're going to try and sorts things out very quickly."

Nasrallah, who met with the U.N. chief on Tuesday, warned Annan that Israeli violations would bring more violence into the region, but Annan said he was certain Hezbollah -- a Muslim militant organization -- would continue to show the restraint they have shown during the withdrawal process.

Barak said any disagreements between Israel and the United Nations over the border would be "clarified" within the next 24 to 36 hours, and added that Israel is intent on complying with U.N. resolutions calling for Israel to withdraw from the area.

But Israel has been concerned that Hezbollah -- which has kept up cross-border attacks on Israel from south Lebanon for years -- quickly took charge of the region as Israeli troops and their Lebanese militia allies abandoned it.

On Wednesday, Annan announced that the Lebanese government had agreed to send in 1,000 troops as soon as U.N. peacekeepers deploy there.

"The Lebanese government indicated to me they will be putting in 1,000 troops and others will move in as the U.N. moves down," Annan said.

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