Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told visiting UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Sunday that Hezbollah's involvement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip endangers the stability of Palestinian government, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.
During a meeting in Jerusalem ahead of the opening of the Holocaust History Museum, Sharon said Israel expects the Palestinian Authority (PA) to dismantle the military organization and complete internal reforms in its security services before the roadmap peace plan can be implemented.
For his part, Annan promised that he will help Israel however he could with the withdrawal from Gaza and part of the northern West Bank.
Annan told Sharon that the UN would not stand for a partial withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and is insisting all forces be evacuated as soon as possible.
The UN chief plans to travel to the West Bank on Monday for talks with Abbas and other top Palestinian officials. He is also expected to meet with many of the 30 world leaders attending ceremonies Tuesday and Wednesday for the inauguration of the new Holocaust museum in Jerusalem.
The presidents of Poland, Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia, prime ministers of France, Italy and the Netherlands and several European foreign ministers are among the scheduled guests.
(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2005)
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