Kofi Annan’s shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East apears to have paid off with a rare pledge of support from Syria. After a meeting with Syria’s president the UN Secretary General said Damascas will help implement the UN resolution with various measures: “Establishing liaison mechanisms with Lebanese armed forces, establishing Lebanon border police and international personnel, providing technical assistance to Lebanon in order to set up an effective interdiction regime.” Syria has been strongly opposed to the deployment of UN peacekeeping troops in the region and in particular on its border with its battered neighbour.

In a separate development, as a condition of the ceasefire, Lebanese troops, accompanied by the UN force have now taken up positions on the border with Israel. Tel Aviv says its soldiers have handed over more than two thirds of the territory it captured during the conflict with Hizbollah.

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