Bangla PM to send letters to UNSC permanent members on Lebanon

Dhaka, Aug 6 (UNI) Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will dispatch letters to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) with a clarion call for immediate and unconditional cease-fire in Lebanon.

Announcing this at a news conference here today, Foreign Minister Morshed Khan said the draft of the letter is at the final stage and it would be sent in two or three days.

Mr Khan said the UN, instead of actting as a spectator, should immediately act to stop Israeli aggression in Lebanon in order to uphold public confidence in the world body.

Despite negative opinion, shared by many, about the relevance of the UN, he said Bangladesh still believe that the world body is the only place where all concerned parties could join hands to find solution to the Lebanon problem.

Describing the Israeli attacks on innocent Lebanese as a heinous act of the 21st century, Mr Khan said, "It is not acceptable to us that the whole world will remain spectator when thousands of innocent men, women and children will be killed in Lebanon." The minister refuted the Israeli action that was taken on the pretext of Hizbollah guerrillas abducting two Israeli soldiers.

"This is a pre-planned attack by Israel that was waiting for an opportunity," Mr Khan said, adding that Israeli soldiers have done this in the past and were now doing the same thing.

Every time they occupy any land they declare it as a buffer zone, he observed.

He said time has come when the UN must act as people have already started questioning its anthority.

In reply to a question, Mr Khan said Bangladesh would also be a signatory to the joint letter to be sent by OIC Chair Malaysia.

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