BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 5 (UPI) -- Lebanese Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Murad said Tuesday the Lebanese army can fill any security vacuum left by the withdrawal of Syrian troops.
Murad made the comment after a meeting with U.N. special envoy Terje Roed Larsen, who is overseeing the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559. The resolution calls for the complete withdrawal of Syria's troops and intelligence personnel from Lebanon.
"The Lebanese army has the means and capacity to carry out all missions and to fill the vacuum left as a result of the withdrawal of the Syrian forces," Murad said.
For his part, Larsen said, "We discussed matters thoroughly, especially those related to resolution 1559, namely the Syrian withdrawal and the disarming of Hezbollah and Palestinian groups."
Larsen arrived Sunday in Lebanon from Damascus, where he received a Syrian promise that the pullout from Lebanon will be completed by April 30.
