United Nations special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen reportedly told the French foreign minister this week that his report to be submitted to Secretary General Kofi Annan on April 19 on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559 should be followed by the issuing of a new resolution concerning Lebanon. According to sources quoted in Wednesday's issue of Sada Al-Balad, Roed-Larsen said during a Monday meeting with Philippe Douste-Blazy that he hoped his report was "strongly supported by the members of the Security Council and would result in drafting a new resolution."The sources added that the envoy suggested the resolution should cover three points: "demarcation of the Syrian-Lebanese borders, the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries, and the disarmament of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias." Roed-Larsen was also said to have noted "international and regional agreement on the three points," in addition to asking France to set all the details related to deliniating the borders, establishing embassies and disarming the militias. According to the sources, Larsen proposed three possible solutions to the Shebaa Farms dispute: a Lebanese-Syrian agreement, international arbitration, or an Israeli withdrawal. The sources said the envoy was "pessimistic about disarming the Palestinian factions," which he said "would take some time."
The sources further quoted Roed-Larsen as having said the campaign to topple President Emile Lahoud should be dropped "due to the opposition voiced by China, Russia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt." Roed-Larsen said he did not visit Damascus during his recent tour of the Middle East on "the advice of the U.S. administration, which told him not to meet with Syrian officials before the issuing of the new resolution."