NBC: (SOUND) JERUSALEM:


1.
LV INTERIOR Israeli General Aharon Yariv in front of maps with reporters seated in front of him
0.04

2.
CU Israeli General Yariv Sharon speaks
0.17

3.
CU Defence Minister Ariel Sharon speaks
0.48

4.
SV Israeli Cabinet members leave office
0.53


RTT: (MUTE) TUNIS:


5.
CU Summit insignia
0.57

6.
CU PAN Arab Foreign Minister seated
1.14

7.
CU Arab League Secretary-General Chedli Klibi
1.20

8.
CU Syrian Foreign Minister Abdel-Halim Khaddam
1.25

9.
SV Ministers seated
1.28


TRANSCRIPT FOR SEQUENCE 2:



YARIV: "From the military angle, the most important objectives have been achieved and I think the ball really passes now to the hands of the political level."



TRANSCRIPT FOR SEQUENCE 3:



SHARON: "The way that we are deployed now, keeping in our hands the most important strategic area in Lebanon, the (indistinct) road from Beirut to Damascus and the fact that the terrorists are encircled in western Beirut, that gives us more chance to solve this problem in peaceful means."





Initials RdeL/BB





Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A senior Israeli army officer and Defence Minister Ariel Sharon have expressed confidence in a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Lebanon. Addressing reporters in Jerusalem on June 26, Major-General Aharon Yariv said that military objectives have been achieved and the emphasis would now be on a political settlement. On the same day, Israel's Defence Minister Ariel Sharon spoke of his hopes for an end to the fighting, which followed the Israeli drive into Lebanon at the beginning of June. Speaking after a cabinet meeting which was called to discuss the Lebanon situation, Mr. Sharon said he believed Israel would be able to secure an end to hostilities.

Arab Foreign Ministers met in Tunis on June 27 but failed to reach a common stand on the situation in Lebanon. The ministers were attending an Arab League Council's special meeting, held at the request of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. The League's Secretary-General, Chedli Klibi, later announced the setting up of a committee of Algerian, Saudi Arabian, Syrian, Lebanese, Kuwaiti and PLO representatives, which would continue to work for a unified Arab stance. The Syrian Foreign Minister Abdel-Halim Khaddam arrived for the meeting after a surprise visit to Moscow.