Israeli President says no conflict exists with Lebanon

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KIEV, Ukraine, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Speaking at a news conference with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, Israeli President Shimon Peres said Israel's relations with Lebanon were good.

Peres told journalists: "We have no conflict with Lebanon. We comply with the U.N. resolution. The Israeli government has agreed on a goodwill gesture once again. We withdrew troops from the northern half of a village that straddles the border with Lebanon," Itar-Tass reported Wednesday.

Peres added: "There is a conflict in Lebanon. There is the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. In our view, Lebanon could be a peaceful country. But now Hezbollah is under Iran's pressure. As it is known, the father of the incumbent Lebanese premier was killed. The world community demands a murderer be found."

Peres was referring to the tribunal looking into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accused both countries of violating the 2006 cease-fire resolution that ended the 34-day Second Lebanon War between Israel and Hezbollah, commenting that Hezbollah continues to maintain "a substantial military capacity" in violation of U.N. resolutions and an arms embargo.

He again called for Hezbollah and other militias to be disarmed "through a Lebanese-led political process."