| As newly appointed Lebanese Premier Najib Mikati headed to New York to discuss Lebanon's political future with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the country's foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud surprisingly welcomed Wednesday's UN statement which said Lebanon has yet to comply with UN Resolution 1559. Hammoud described the UN statement as "reasonable and acceptable." While acknowledging that Syrian troops had left Lebanon, the UN statement said the resolution had not been implemented as there had been "no progress" on other provisions of 1559 calling for the disarmament of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias. Hammoud said implementing 1559 would be the main focus of the talks between Mikati and Annan in New York today. |