Written question asked by Dan Norris (Labour) on Tuesday, 12 July 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 14 July 2005. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Monday, 18 July 2005 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Middle East

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to bring about the disarmament of Hezbollah forces in Southern Lebanon, in compliance with UN Security Council resolution 1559.

Answer: The disarmament of non-Lebanese and Lebanese militias, including Hezbollah, as required by United Nations Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1559, is a complex issue that will take time to implement. The Government believes that the process of disarming the militias in Lebanon needs to be Lebanese-led, and once the new government of Lebanon is formed we will be discussing with it how the UK and our international partners can assist with the full implementation of UNSCR 1559.

Secondary information