Lebanon says Israel must speed up withdrawal

BERLIN, Sep 28 (Reuters) Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora called on Israel today to speed up its withdrawal from Lebanese territories and to stop what he said were repeated forays into his country's sea and air space.

''Resolution 1701 has to be respected by all parties,'' Siniora said at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, referring to the UN resolution which ended a 34-day war between Israel and Hizbollah fighters in Lebanon.

''I think Israel has to really expedite the process of withdrawal from all the newly occupied territories and it has to stop its incursions and violations of our airspace, waters and lands,'' Siniora added.

Merkel urged all sides to respect the resolution, while taking care not to criticise Israel. Support for Israel has been a fundamental policy of all German governments since the fall of the Nazis.

So far, Israel has handed over around 90 percent of the territory it took control of during the war to a UN force which is beefing up its numbers to monitor the truce.

Israel has said it will withdraw completely once it is convinced that the terms of the UN resolution are being observed and once rules of engagement have been agreed with the UN troops.

Siniora thanked Germany for its contributions to the UN force.

Yesterday, German lawmakers approved the deployment of 2,400 naval troops to Lebanon, a mission which Merkel has described as ''historic'' because it breaks a postwar taboo by taking the country's forces into the heart of the West Asia.

The troops will patrol the Lebanese coast to prevent weapons from reaching Hizbollah guerrillas. Germany has refused to send ground troops for fear they could be drawn into fighting with Israeli forces.

Reuters SP VV1953