Powell asks Lebanon to rein in Hizbollah guerrillas

JERUSALEM - After scant progress over an Israeli-Palestinian truce, United States Secretary of State Colin Powell flew to Lebanon last night to press for an end to Hizbollah attacks on Israeli targets that threaten broader conflict.

In Beirut, Powell began talks with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and was due to see Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri before visiting Syria, Lebanon's political master and Hizbollah's main backer, today.

Powell ventured past Israeli tanks yesterday to Yasser Arafat's bullet-pocked headquarters in Ramallah in the West Bank for talks with the Palestinian leader, and also held more talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Sharon said that during their talks Powell had accepted his idea for a US-hosted regional peace conference.

Arafat later said he would go along with the peace conference proposal if US President George W. Bush backed it, but renewed his call for an immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank.

"Any initiative which would be declared by President Bush I will accept it to achieve peace," Arafat told US Fox News television by telephone.

"I am ready for an immediate conference, but at the same time immediate withdrawal. No one can accept occupation."

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat had earlier said the idea was a waste of time and no substitute for a peace plan floated by the Saudis and backed by last month's Arab summit.

Powell came away without an Israeli commitment to comply with Bush's demand for an immediate end to its crushing 17-day-old West Bank offensive. Palestinians told him no ceasefire could work until Israeli troops leave their towns.

The Lebanese Hizbollah guerrilla group, which helped force Israel to end a 22-year occupation of south Lebanon in May 2000, has stepped up attacks on Israeli posts in an unpopulated corner of the Golan Heights known as Shebaa Farms.

Hizbollah, Syria and Lebanon say the Shebaa Farms area is Lebanese territory.

The United Nations, which certified that Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon was complete, says Shebaa Farms is Syrian until such time as Syria formally cedes it to Lebanon.

Israel says rockets and mortar bombs have also been fired into its own territory in attacks not claimed by Hizbollah and blamed by the Lebanese Government on Palestinian fighters.

Israel has threatened Syria with retaliation for Hizbollah attacks.

Powell warned during a tour of northern Israel which coincided with a Hizbollah raid that the cross-border attacks could trigger a wider Middle East conflict.

Powell was expected to return to Israel today.

But Erekat said he would probably meet Arafat again.

In Washington, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said US and Palestinian officials would meet today to work on arranging a ceasefire following Powell's efforts.

The West Bank towns of Ramallah, Jenin, Nablus and Bethlehem remain under Israeli military curfew, along with several refugee camps and villages.

In Bethlehem, a standoff continued into its 14th day between Israel troops who have besieged the Church of the Nativity to force the surrender of dozens of Palestinian gunmen who took refuge there after Israeli troops invaded the town.

Palestinians said Israeli troops fired on the church in the early hours, but the Army denied there had been any shooting.

Journalists reported explosions emanating from Manger Square and gunfire near the church.

- REUTERS

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