Lebanon PM dismisses Israeli call for peace talks

BEIRUT, Oct 16 (Reuters) Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora today dismissed a call by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to meet him and make peace, saying Lebanon would be the last Arab state to sign a deal with the Jewish state.

Siniora instead called on Israel to accept an Arab peace initiative floated by Saudi Arabia in 2002, offering peace in return for Israel's withdrawal from Arab land occupied in 1967.

''The Prime Minister has announced more than once that Lebanon will be the last Arab country to sign peace with Israel,'' Siniora's office said in a statement.

''It has become clear that what is required from Israel as proof of its will for peace is the withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories including the Shebaa Farms and the implementation of (UN Security Council) resolution 1701 in full.'' Resolution 1701 ended a 34-day war between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas in mid-August. Lebanon claims the Shebaa Farms border area as Lebanese but the United Nations says it is Israeli-occupied Syrian soil.

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