Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, met with Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni Wednesday to discuss common goals between the United Nations and Israel in seeing the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Foreign Minister Livni said that Israel and the UN "share the same goals and the same understanding of the urgent need to implement this resolution (1701)."
Livni expressed Israel's need of an immediate, unconditional release of the two hostages taken by Hezbollah. She also said, "There is a need to enforce the arms embargo and there is a need to see a quick deployment of the Lebanese army plus a robust, effective, international force in the south part of Lebanon and the disarmament of any militia in Lebanon including Hezbollah."
Sec.-Gen. Annan agreed with FM Livni and said that Hezbollah must be disarmed as well as every other militia group in southern Lebanon. He promised his renewed efforts of seeing the two abducted soldiers released, as well as the deployment of UN forces into southern Lebanon. He also expressed his desire for the Israeli blockade of Lebanon to be lifted immediately.

Annan said, "The Security Council is very clear about the issue of disarmament. All militia should be disarmed in Lebanon; this is an objective that we all share. It was reaffirmed by Resolution 1701 and Resolution 1701 has been accepted by Israel and Lebanon including Hezbollah." He went on to say the initial phase must be the disarmament of all militia and a southern Lebanon free of weapons except for those in the hands of the UN forces and the Lebanese army. "The Lebanese must work hard at a national disarmament that has been called for."
Kofi Annan concluded the meeting by saying the "Full implementation of Resolution 1701 gives us a foundation and a basis to settle the differences between Israel and Lebanon once and for all."