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Lebanon Clamps Down on Palestinian Weapons
 Syria's pullout from Lebanon has prompted armed Palestinian factions here to negotiate with Lebanon over giving up some weapons — a key U.N. and American demand that would have been unthinkable just a year ago. Lebanon's new prime minister has met with various Palestinian factions and the sides have formed a committee to arrange for the eventual removal of Palestinian weapons outside refugee camps and for their regulation inside camps. The committee also will examine the possibility of the Palestinians opening an embassy in Lebanon for the first time.The weapons issue is expected to come up when Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas meets this week in Paris with President Jacques Chirac of France, a sponsor of a 2004 U.N. resolution that called for disarming all militants in Lebanon, including Palestinian groups and Hezbollah. Terje Roed-Larsen, the U.N. special envoy on Syria and Lebanon, also will hold separate talks with Abbas and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora on the Palestinian militias before both Arab leaders meet for a Paris summit Tuesday, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Posted by: Fred 2005-10-18 |
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